Many of McDowell County's oldest homes sit in and around Marion's Main Street and Depot historic districts and the Old Fort Commercial Historic District. In those older neighborhoods, the upper floor is still reached by the house's original staircase. When climbing it gets hard, a stair lift is often the option that lets someone stay put instead of selling and moving.
Beyond Marion and Old Fort, homes in Nebo, West Marion and the rural parts of the county range from farmsteads to split-level houses on sloped lots. This page covers how those homes affect the kind of lift you need and which agencies in McDowell County and across North Carolina may help with the cost.
Pre-war houses in Marion and Old Fort were built long before anyone thought about lifts. Their original stairs may be narrow, steep, or turn at a landing partway up. A straight stair can usually take a straight-rail lift, while a staircase that turns or has a landing generally needs a curved rail built to fit that exact stair.
We measure the stair, check the width and look at where the rail would start and stop at each floor. In a historic house, it also helps to know that a rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so the walls and woodwork are left alone.
The county's housing includes single-family and detached houses, townhouses, split-level homes and walk-up apartments. A split-level often has two or three short flights instead of one long one. Sometimes one lift covers the flight that matters most, and sometimes each flight needs its own.
Townhouses tend to have a single straight flight, which is the simplest install. In a walk-up apartment, the stairs may belong to the building, so renters should talk with the owner before planning a lift.
McDowell County covers 440.61 square miles of mountainous ground, and roughly 75% of it is still forested. Plenty of homes sit on hillside lots, so the hard part is sometimes the steps from the driveway or yard to the front door, not the stairs inside.
Outdoor stair lifts are built for weather and can run along exterior steps. Where a wheelchair or walker has to come along, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat. We look at both the inside and outside of the home before recommending either.
Roughly 52.5% own their homes, which matters because several grant programs require ownership.
The county's economy runs on Christmas trees, livestock, textiles, furniture, pharmaceuticals and tourism. It is a rural, moderate-income base, and many senior homeowners will want to look at grant and waiver options before paying out of pocket.
No program below names stair lifts outright, so the right step is to call and ask about your situation. The CAP/DA waiver lists equipment and modifications as a service category, and the USDA Section 504 program funds accessibility changes for rural homeowners with lower incomes. The Independent Living Rehabilitation Program and the Displacement Prevention Partnership both focus on home modifications for people with disabilities.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either. The McDowell Veterans Service Office at 100 Spaulding Road in Marion, (828) 659-0833, can help sort out which VA benefits apply.
For aging services, the Region C - Foothills Regional Commission AAA office is at 625 US Hwy 64/74A Bypass in Rutherfordton, 28139, at (828) 351-2336. North Carolina also offers the Elderly or Disabled Property Tax Homestead Exclusion (G.S. 105-277.1), which is property tax relief rather than equipment funding.
A NC Medicaid waiver for adults 18 and older who meet nursing-facility level of care; it lists 'Equipment, modification and technology' as a service, but stair lifts are not named on the source. Call (888) 245-0179 or go through the case-management entity in McDowell County to confirm.
The regional Area Agency on Aging coordinates Home and Community Care Block Grant and other aging services for adults 60 and older; stair lifts are not listed. Call (828) 287-2281 to ask about current home-modification services.
Rural homeowners below 50% of area median income can borrow up to $40,000 at 1% for 20 years, and those 62 and older who cannot repay may get grants up to $10,000, with a combined cap of $50,000. Accessibility modifications are allowed, though stair lifts are not named.
Provides $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home alterations for veterans, but it explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Call (800) 827-1000 with questions.
For homeowning veterans with severe service-connected disabilities, SAH pays up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 in FY2026; examples include ramps and wider doorways, and stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 827-1000.
Serves people with a significant disability that limits independent living, with financial need considered, and covers home modifications such as ramps and accessible bathrooms; stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 662-7030.
Helps permanently physically disabled homeowners make modifications so they can live safely at home, through local Independent Living Rehabilitation offices; stair lifts are not named. Call (919) 877-5700.
This center serves McDowell County with information and referral, peer counseling, skills training and advocacy rather than cash grants; no stair lift program is listed. Call (828) 298-1977.
Offers in-home aide service, meals, SHIIP counseling, legal aid, veteran's services and more for older county residents; no stair lift or modification grant is listed. Call (828) 659-0821.
Older adults
625 US Hwy 64/74A Bypass, Rutherfordton, 28139
Veterans
100 Spaulding Road, Marion, 28752
Usually, yes. A straight flight takes a straight rail, and a stair that turns or has a landing needs a curved rail made to fit it. We measure on site to confirm.
An outdoor stair lift can run along exterior steps, and a platform lift is an option if a wheelchair or walker needs to come along.
The HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts, so call (800) 827-1000 or the McDowell Veterans Service Office at (828) 659-0833 to ask.
The USDA Section 504 program offers grants up to $10,000 to homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan, if income is below 50% of area median income and the home is in an eligible rural area. Stair lifts are not named, so ask whether yours would qualify.
The Foothills Regional Commission Area Agency on Aging serves adults 60 and older at (828) 287-2281, and the McDowell Senior Center at (828) 659-0821 offers in-home aide service and other help.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
