Davidson County's houses tell the story of its furniture and textile mills. Older mill-era homes cluster around Lexington, the county seat, and Thomasville, home of the Big Chair. Newer suburban and rural houses spread out through Midway, Welcome, Tyro, Wallburg, Southmont, Denton and Yadkin College.
That mix matters when someone in the family starts having trouble with the stairs. A split-level in Midway, a ranch-style home on a rolling lot near Denton and a townhouse in Thomasville each call for a different kind of lift. This page walks through what fits which home and where Davidson County residents can look for help paying for it.
Most homes here are single-family or detached houses, and many have one straight flight between floors. A straight stair lift is the simplest fit for that layout. It mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so it works in older mill-era houses with plaster walls.
Split-level homes are different. They often have short flights that change direction at a landing, so a curved lift with a custom-bent rail is usually the answer. Townhouses tend to have narrow stairways, so we measure the width and the space at the top and bottom before recommending a model.
The county sits in the Piedmont, with gently rolling terrain broken by hills and shallow valleys. The western side reaches into the Uwharrie Mountains, where High Rock Mountain tops out at 1,119 feet. On sloped lots, a house that is all on one floor inside can still have a long run of steps up to the front or back door.
Ranch-style homes are a good example. The stairs inside may be no problem, but the porch steps can be. An outdoor stair lift built for weather, or a vertical platform lift where a ramp would be too long for the slope, can handle that entrance.
The population is split fairly evenly between urban areas (52.3%) and rural areas (47.7%). That means help is needed both in town centers like Lexington and Thomasville and on farm roads and in small townships.
For rural households, it also affects which programs apply. Some federal repair help is limited to rural areas, and Davidson County has eligible areas outside the Lexington and Thomasville city limits.
Most stair lifts are paid for privately, but several programs cover home modifications or accessibility work in general. None of the sources we reviewed names stair lifts directly, so ask each program whether a lift would qualify before you apply. The VA's HISA grant is the one exception with a clear answer: it does not cover stair glides.
A good first call for anyone 60 or older is the Region G - Piedmont Triad Regional Council AAA at (336) 904-0300. It is the local access point for the state Housing and Home Improvement Assistance program. Veterans can start with Davidson County Veterans Services at (336) 242-2037, 913 Greensboro Street Suite 101 in Lexington. Each program is listed below.
North Carolina's main Medicaid waiver for adults 18 and older who need a nursing-facility level of care but can be served safely at home. It covers equipment, modification and technology, though stair lifts are not specifically listed, so confirm with your local CAP/DA case management entity; referrals go through Acentra Health at (833) 522-5429.
A state program for people age 60 or older that pays no more than $7,000 per individual per program year, with mobility and accessibility improvements among the covered categories. Stair lifts are not named, so ask the local provider; the state Customer Service Center is (800) 662-7030.
The Area Agency on Aging for Davidson County and 11 other counties, and the local access point for the Housing and Home Improvement Assistance program. It does not list a stair lift benefit itself; the regional office in Kernersville can be reached at (336) 904-0300.
A Davidson County nonprofit at 21 W 2nd St, Lexington, that does urgent repairs and accessibility modifications such as ramps, grab-bars and walk-in showers for low-income homeowners who qualify, including elderly (62+), disabled or veteran households. Stair lifts are not named, and it cannot assist manufactured or mobile homes; call (336) 236-1675.
The state funding source behind local repair work, including the Urgent Repair Program, for low-income elderly or special-needs homeowners. It mentions accessibility modifications but not stair lifts, and eligibility is set by local partners; the agency's number is (919) 877-5700.
Federal loans up to $40,000 at 1% for 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 lifetime for homeowners 62 and older, for very low-income owners in eligible rural areas. Listed repairs include ramps, grab bars and walk-in tubs but not stair lifts; apply through a local USDA Rural Development office.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home alterations, depending on disability status. It does not cover stair lifts, since it excludes stair glides and porch lifts, but it can fund ramps and roll-in showers; Davidson County Veterans Services is at (336) 242-2037.
A Winston-Salem center that offers information, referral and advocacy for people with disabilities in Davidson and five nearby counties. It does not list stair lift funding, but it can point you to current resources; call (336) 767-7060.
Older adults
1398 Carrollton Crossing Drive, Kernersville, 27284
Veterans
913 Greensboro Street Suite 101, Lexington, 27292
Not through the HISA grant. The VA states that HISA excludes removable equipment such as stair glides and porch lifts. HISA can still help with permanent changes like ramps or a roll-in shower, and Davidson County Veterans Services at (336) 242-2037 can walk you through other VA benefits.
Yes, possibly. CAP/DA serves NC Medicaid-eligible adults 18 and older who need a nursing-facility level of care at home. Solutions for Independence also works with people with disabilities of any age in Davidson County.
It can help. USDA Section 504 loans and grants are for eligible rural areas, and Davidson County has such areas outside the Lexington and Thomasville city limits. Check the USDA property eligibility map to confirm your address.
No. Home Solutions states it cannot assist manufactured or mobile housing. It also only serves homeowners inside Davidson County.
Split-levels usually have short flights that turn at a landing, so a curved lift is the common choice. If each flight is straight and separate, two straight lifts can sometimes work. We measure the stairs in person before recommending either.
Call the Region G - Piedmont Triad Regional Council AAA at (336) 904-0300. It handles the Housing and Home Improvement Assistance program, which pays up to $7,000 per individual per program year for covered work. Ask whether a stair lift would count as a mobility and accessibility improvement.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
