Surry County runs from the Piedmont in the east, where a small part of the Sauratown Mountains rises, to the Blue Ridge Mountains across its western third, topping out at Fisher Peak at 3,570 feet. In between are towns like Mount Airy, Elkin, Pilot Mountain, Dobson, Toast, White Plains and Lowgap, and a lot of homes built on slopes and hillsides.
Many houses here were built with stairs as part of everyday life, especially the older multi-story homes in Mount Airy. This page walks through how local homes and terrain affect the kind of stair lift that fits, and which programs may help with the cost.
Mount Airy, the county seat, grew out of its 19th- and 20th-century industrial heritage. The Mount Airy Historic District includes structures such as the W.F. Carter House and the William Carter House, both on the National Register of Historic Places, and the town has a large share of older, multi-story homes with their original stairways.
Original stairways are often narrow, steep, or turn partway up. A straight staircase usually takes a straight rail, which is the simplest install. A stair that turns at a landing or curves needs a custom curved rail built to that exact staircase.
Newer construction elsewhere in the county tends to have more standard straight runs. Either way, we measure the stairs in person before recommending a lift.
Housing in Surry County includes single-family homes, townhouses, split-level homes, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. Each one raises different questions.
Split-level homes often have several short flights instead of one long one. Some families put a lift on the flight used most, such as the one to the bedrooms. Townhouses usually have a single interior staircase that suits a straight or curved lift.
In walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings, the stairs are often shared. That means the building owner has to agree before anything is installed, so it is worth asking early.
About 75.7% of Surry County residents live in rural areas. Plenty of homes sit up off the road, with porch steps or exterior stairs between the driveway and the front door. An outdoor stair lift built for weather, or a platform lift for someone using a wheelchair, can handle those entry steps.
The mountain passes locally called gaps can see high winds strong enough to affect vehicle travel on highways. For an older resident, that can make getting out in winter weather harder. Being able to get in and out of the house safely on your own matters more when outside help can be slow to arrive.
About 23.8% of residents are 65 or older, and 58.2% own their homes. Homeowners can generally install a lift without asking anyone's permission, and some programs require that you own the home.
If someone in your family served, check VA options before paying out of pocket. Start with the Surry County Veterans Service Office.
Cost is a real concern here. Median household income is about $55,656, the poverty rate is about 16.82%, and the North Carolina Department of Commerce lists Surry among the state's 40 most economically distressed counties (Tier 1).
None of the programs below name stair lifts as a covered item, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. NC Medicaid CAP/DA and the VA SAH and SHA grants cover broader categories of equipment or home adaptation, so ask each one directly whether your situation qualifies.
For local guidance on aging services, call Region G - Piedmont Triad Regional Council AAA in Kernersville at (336) 904-0300. Veterans can call the Surry County Veterans Service Office at 1218 State Street in Mount Airy, (336) 783-8820. Homeowners may also want to ask about the Elderly or Disabled Property Tax Homestead Exclusion (G.S. 105-277.1).
A Medicaid waiver for adults 18+ who need a nursing-facility level of care. It funds home- and community-based services in place of a nursing facility. Its approved services include an 'Equipment, modification and technology' category, but the source does not name stair lifts, so ask before counting on it. Call (888) 245-0179 or apply through a local case-management entity serving Surry County.
VA grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities: SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 (FY2026), and the veteran must own or plan to own the home. The VA lists ramps and doorway widening as examples and does not mention stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime, depending on disability status, for medically necessary permanent changes such as ramps, roll-in showers and lowered fixtures in owned or rented homes. It does not cover stair lifts; the VA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts.
Older adults
1398 Carrollton Crossing Drive, Kernersville, 27284
Veterans
1218 State Street, Mount Airy, 27030
The HISA grant will not, because the VA excludes stair glides from it. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts as an example, so ask the VA directly at (800) 827-1000 or the Surry County Veterans Service Office at (336) 783-8820.
CAP/DA covers an 'Equipment, modification and technology' category, but the source does not name stair lifts. Adults 18+ who are Medicaid-eligible and need a nursing-facility level of care can ask by calling (888) 245-0179.
Usually yes. Straight stairs take a straight rail, and stairs that turn or curve need a custom curved rail. We measure the staircase in person to see what fits.
Outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps and weather. If the person uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may be the better fit.
The Temporary Residence Adaptation option allows this: up to $50,961 for SAH-qualified veterans or $9,100 for SHA-qualified veterans. It falls under the same rules as SAH and SHA, which do not name stair lifts.
Region G - Piedmont Triad Regional Council AAA serves the area from 1398 Carrollton Crossing Drive in Kernersville. Call (336) 904-0300.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
