Orange County's homes span a wide range of ages. Hillsborough, the county seat, still has 18th- and 19th-century houses, while Chapel Hill and Carrboro have a mix of university-era and infill housing. Efland rounds out the four towns. Each kind of house puts its own demands on a stair lift.
Local aging-in-place nonprofits spend much of their time on wheelchair ramps, grab bars and bathroom renovations here. That tells you multi-story, stepped-entry homes are common across the county. This page covers which lift fits which home and which programs may help with the cost.
A single-family home or townhouse with one straight flight is usually the simplest job. A straight rail mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so it works in older plaster-walled houses too.
Older homes like the ones in Hillsborough often have stairs that turn or narrow at a landing. Those call for a curved rail built to the exact shape of your staircase, so we measure before quoting.
Split-level homes have several short flights instead of one long one. Sometimes two straight lifts cost less than one curved rail. It depends on where the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen sit.
About 49.5% of Orange County households own their home, so roughly half rent. If you live in a walk-up apartment or a low-rise building, the owner has to approve any installation.
Ask the landlord in writing before scheduling a measurement. A straight lift can be removed later, which often makes the conversation easier.
The county sits in North Carolina's Piedmont, and plenty of homes have steps up to the porch or down to a driveway. An outdoor stair lift has a weather-rated seat and rail for those runs.
When a wheelchair has to come along, a platform lift or a ramp is the better fit. Local programs here already build ramps, so it can make sense to pair a ramp outside with a stair lift inside.
Orange County has 91,779 residents, and 12.4% are 65 or older. Many adult children here are helping a parent decide whether to stay in a two-story house.
Veterans should know up front that the VA HISA grant excludes stair glides, so talk to the Orange County Veterans Service Office in Hillsborough at (919) 245-2594 about other options.
Only one program in our list names stair lifts directly: the NC Innovations Waiver home modifications service, with a $50,000 combined lifetime cap over the 5-year waiver. It is for Medicaid beneficiaries with an intellectual or developmental disability.
CAP/DA lists equipment, modification and technology as a covered category but does not name stair lifts. Local repair groups such as Handy Helpers and Hope Renovations focus on ramps, railings and grab bars. The programs below spell out what each one says.
A state Medicaid waiver for adults 18+ who need an institutional level of care; it lists equipment, modification and technology as a service category but does not name stair lifts. Call (888) 245-0179.
A Medicaid waiver for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, run locally by Alliance Health, that covers stair lifts and ramps up to a $50,000 combined lifetime cap over the 5-year waiver. Call (800) 510-9132.
Free volunteer labor for Orange County homeowners 55+ within income limits of $54,784 (one person) or $74,028 (two people), covering ramps, railings, grab bars and porch repairs; stair lifts are not listed. Call (919) 968-2087.
A single intake point that routes Orange County homeowners to member repair and accessibility programs; stair lifts are not listed. Call the county's general line at (919) 732-8181.
A nonprofit doing ramps, handrails, grab bars and age-friendly bathrooms for adults 55+ or living with a disability within about 20 miles of Carrboro, at sliding-scale, reduced or no cost; stair lifts are not listed. Call (919) 960-1010.
Federal repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners 62+ in eligible rural areas. Stair lifts are not named.
A VA grant of $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime for medically necessary home changes. It does not cover stair lifts; stair glides are specifically excluded.
VA grants up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026 for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities. Stair lifts are not named in the program description.
An advocacy, peer counseling and information and referral service for Orange County residents with a disability; it does not fund stair lifts directly. Call (919) 833-1117.
Information, referral and options counseling for older adults, adults with disabilities and caregivers in a region that includes Orange County; stair lifts are not listed as a service. Call (800) 310-9777.
Older adults
1307 Glenwood Ave., Suite 200, Raleigh, 27605
Veterans
306 Revere Rd, Hillsborough, 27278
The NC Innovations Waiver names stair lifts in its home modifications service, up to a $50,000 combined lifetime cap. CAP/DA lists equipment, modification and technology but does not name stair lifts, so ask at (888) 245-0179.
Not through HISA, which excludes stair glides. SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either. The Orange County Veterans Service Office at 306 Revere Rd in Hillsborough, (919) 245-2594, can review the veteran's situation.
Their listed work is ramps, railings, grab bars and exterior deck and porch repairs; stair lifts are not mentioned. You must be a homeowner 55+ in Orange County within the income limits. Call (919) 968-2087.
Hope Renovations also serves adults living with a disability, and CAP/DA is open to disabled adults 18+. The NC Innovations Waiver has no age limit stated in its eligibility.
Yes, with the property owner's written approval. A straight lift can be removed when you move, which landlords tend to accept more readily.
The Orange County Home Preservation Coalition routes homeowners to its member programs through one intake; call (919) 732-8181. For broader options counseling, Central Pines Regional Council is at (800) 310-9777.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
