Wilmington's historic district covers nearly 300 blocks, and many of its antebellum and other 19th-century buildings are still lived in today. Out toward Porters Neck, Myrtle Grove, Castle Hayne and the beach towns of Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach, the homes are a mix of single-family houses, townhouses, split-level homes and walk-up apartments. Each of these puts stairs in a different place, and that changes which stair lift makes sense.
This page covers the 17 communities of New Hanover County, from Wilmington and Murraysville to Ogden, Silver Lake and Sea Breeze. Below you will find how local homes and the low, coastal ground affect a stair lift, plus the programs in the county and state that may help with the cost.
Homes from the antebellum era and the rest of the 19th century often have layouts that make vertical access harder. Staircases in these houses may turn, narrow or end at a landing, which usually points toward a curved stair lift built to the shape of your stairs rather than a standard straight rail.
The historic district's preservation rules can limit exterior or structural changes. If you live inside the district, check what is allowed before planning any work on the outside of the house or on its structure. We measure the staircase first so you know what the lift needs before you commit.
Townhouses and row houses across the county often have one long, straight flight between floors. That is the simplest case for a straight stair lift, which runs on a single rail along the steps.
Split-level homes are different. They tend to have short runs of a few steps between levels, so you may need a lift on more than one flight, or a platform lift where a wheelchair user has to move between levels. In walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings, the stairs may be shared, so talk with the building owner before anything is installed.
About 41.5% of the county's 328.86 square miles is water, bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Cape Fear River and the Intracoastal Waterway. Wilmington sits on low, largely flat land, which helps with ground-floor access but brings hurricane and flood exposure.
Storm and flood damage can affect home foundations and can push repair and modification work to the top of the list. If your home has outdoor steps to the entry, an outdoor stair lift is one option to look at. Flood zone status also matters for some assistance programs, as noted below.
About 18.6% of county residents are 65 or older, and the median age is 40.6.
Roughly 60.2% of residents own their homes. Most of the programs below require that you own and live in the home, so renters should start by asking the property owner and the agencies listed.
None of the programs below name stair lifts in their own descriptions, so you will need to ask each one directly. Several do fund broader categories such as mobility and accessibility improvements, aging in place modifications, or equipment and modification services.
A good first call for adults 60 and older is the Region O - Cape Fear Council of Governments AAA at (910) 395-4553, 1480 Harbour Drive, Wilmington. Veterans can reach New Hanover County Veteran Services at (910) 798-7611, 1650 Greenfield St, Wilmington. Statewide, also ask about VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the Elderly or Disabled Property Tax Homestead Exclusion (G.S. 105-277.1).
A Medicaid waiver for disabled adults 18 and older who meet a nursing-facility level of care, offering an alternative to nursing-home placement. It lists equipment, modification and technology among its services but does not name stair lifts; call (888) 245-0179.
The regional agency on aging for Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover and Pender counties, serving mainly adults 60 and older with referrals to in-home and home-repair services. Stair lifts are not mentioned in its listed programs; call (910) 274-0339.
Funds repairs and modifications for people 60 and older, capped at $7,000 per individual per program year, with mobility and accessibility improvements as one funded category. Stair lifts are not named specifically; call (800) 662-7030.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest and grants up to $10,000 lifetime for very-low-income homeowners 62 and older in USDA-eligible rural areas; not all of the county, including Wilmington, qualifies. Stair lifts are not named; call (800) 414-1226.
Up to $126,526 for FY2026 to adapt a home for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities. Ramps and widened doorways are given as examples, but stair lifts are not named; call (800) 827-1000.
Up to $25,350 for FY2026 for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands. Stair lifts are not named among covered adaptations; call (800) 827-1000.
Home repairs on a sliding cost scale for owner-occupants at or below 80% of area median income in New Hanover, Pender or Duplin County, covering ramps, grab bars and aging in place modifications. Stair lifts are not named, and homes in a historic district or outside Zone X do not qualify; call (910) 762-4744.
Provides information, referral and independent-living services, including information on home modifications and assistive technology, for people with disabilities in Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, Pender and Onslow counties. It does not fund stair lifts directly; call (910) 815-6618.
A county starting point for seniors and caregivers, with Medicare counseling, caregiver support, energy assistance and an Access & Functional Needs Registry. No home modification or stair lift help is listed; call (910) 798-6400.
Older adults
1480 Harbour Drive, Wilmington, 28401
Veterans
1650 Greenfield St, Wilmington, 28401
Older homes there often have layouts that make vertical access harder, and the district's preservation rules can limit exterior or structural changes. An inside lift fitted to the staircase is the usual starting point, but check the rules before planning anything on the outside of the house.
Yes, NC Housing and Home Improvement Assistance serves people 60 and older, up to $7,000 per year, and funds mobility and accessibility improvements. Stair lifts are not named, so ask. The Region O - Cape Fear Council of Governments AAA at (910) 395-4553 is a good place to start.
Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity's Critical Home Repair Program requires the home to be in a minimal-risk Zone X flood zone and not in a historic district or condo. You also need to have owned the home 5 or more years. Call (910) 762-4744 to check.
Not all of New Hanover County, including the City of Wilmington, is USDA-rural-designated, so eligibility is checked by address. The grant part requires the homeowner to be 62 or older. Call (800) 414-1226.
Contact New Hanover County Veteran Services at (910) 798-7611 on Greenfield St in Wilmington. They can help with the VA SAH and SHA grants and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics). The VA benefits line is (800) 827-1000.
A single straight flight, common in townhouses and row houses, is usually suited to a straight stair lift on one rail. Turns, landings or several short flights, as in split-level homes, call for a curved or multi-flight setup.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
