Johnston County covers 11 towns, from Clayton and Smithfield to Kenly, Princeton and Micro, on flat Coastal Plain farmland roughly 15 miles east of Raleigh. The homes here range from older mid-century houses near Smithfield to newer subdivisions and townhomes near Clayton and Selma, built as Triangle-area growth spread east.
That mix matters when you are thinking about a stair lift. A straight staircase in a newer townhome is a different job from the stairs in a split-level house or the steps up to a farmhouse porch. This page walks through what fits which homes and which programs in the county may help with the cost.
The county's housing includes single-family homes, detached houses, townhouses, low-rise buildings and split-level homes. As of the 2020 Census, there were 84,340 housing units, and 73.9% were owner-occupied. Owning the home makes it simpler to install a lift, since you do not need a landlord's sign-off.
Townhomes near Clayton and Selma usually have one straight run of stairs between floors. That is the most common setup for a straight stair lift, which mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, and tends to be the quickest install.
Split-level homes are different. Short flights with turns or landings between them often call for a curved lift with a custom-bent rail, or a separate straight lift on each flight. We measure every step before recommending either.
Mid-century homes near Smithfield can have narrower stairways and older framing. A stair lift folds up when not in use, but we check the stair width, the landing space at the top and bottom, and whether the treads are solid enough to hold the rail.
Because the county sits on low-relief land in the Neuse River basin, many houses have only a few steps up to the front door or porch. For those, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure or a vertical platform lift can make more sense than an indoor model. A platform lift is also the option to look at if the person uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat.
If you are a veteran or helping one, it is worth talking to the Johnston County Veterans Service Office before you buy, because VA programs have specific rules about stair lifts.
The Johnston County Veterans Service Office is at 309 E. Market St., Smithfield, NC 27577, phone (919) 989-5067.
Most of the programs below fund home repairs or accessibility work but do not name stair lifts on their published pages. That does not mean a lift is ruled out. It means you need to ask the program directly before you sign anything.
The VA HISA grant is the one exception that answers the question outright: its official page lists stair glides among excluded equipment. VA SAH and SHA grants and USDA Section 504 loans and grants name ramps as examples but not stair lifts.
For seniors 60 and older, a good first call is Community and Senior Services of Johnston County at (919) 934-6066. The regional Area Agency on Aging, Region J - Central Pines Regional Council AAA, is at 1307 Glenwood Ave., Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27605, phone (919) 558-9394.
A NC Medicaid waiver for physically disabled adults 18 and older who need a nursing-facility level of care but want to stay home; it includes an 'Equipment, Modification and Technology' service category, though stair lifts are not listed by name. Call (888) 245-0179.
Provides up to $7,000 per person per program year for people 60 and older with no one able and willing to do the work, including mobility and accessibility improvements; stair lifts are not named. Call the NC DHHS Customer Service Center at (800) 662-7030.
The local front door for senior services for residents 60 and older, and the local partner for home refurbishment for elderly or disabled homeowners; its page does not mention stair lifts. Call (919) 934-6066.
An interest-free deferred loan, forgiven at $3,000 per year you keep living in the home, for major repair of single-family homes in households below 80% of area median income with an elderly or disabled member; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (919) 934-6066.
Repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older with very low income in eligible rural areas; accessibility work such as ramps is an eligible use, but stair lifts are not named.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home changes for veterans; its official page explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it does not cover a stair lift.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) and $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026 for homeowner veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities; the examples given are ramps and wider doorways, and stair lifts are not listed. Call (800) 827-1000.
Free advocacy, information and referral, and independent-living skills services for people with disabilities in Johnston and nearby counties; it is not a cash grant and does not mention stair lifts. Call (919) 833-1117.
Older adults
1307 Glenwood Ave., Suite 200, Raleigh, 27605
Veterans
309 E. Market St., Smithfield, 27577
Often, yes. Townhomes in those areas commonly have one straight flight between floors, which suits a straight lift. We still measure the stair width and the landings at the top and bottom before recommending one.
Split-level homes usually have short flights with turns or landings. The choice is usually a curved lift that follows the stairs or a separate straight lift on each flight, depending on the layout.
The VA HISA grant does not; its official page lists stair glides among excluded equipment. SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so call the Johnston County Veterans Service Office at (919) 989-5067 to ask before buying.
CAP/DA serves NC Medicaid beneficiaries 18 and older who are physically disabled and need a nursing-facility level of care. ADANC also serves people with disabilities in Johnston County at (919) 833-1117. Neither lists stair lifts by name, so ask directly.
Call Community and Senior Services of Johnston County at (919) 934-6066. It serves residents 60 and older and handles the Single Family Rehab program for elderly or disabled homeowners.
It can. Much of Johnston County outside incorporated municipalities counts as rural on USDA maps, which is a requirement for USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants for very-low-income homeowners.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
