Bowman, Scranton and Rhame are the three towns of Bowman County, out in the far southwest corner of North Dakota. Bowman, the county seat, was founded in 1907 when the railroad arrived. Many of its houses still reflect that railroad-town start: modest single-family and farmhouse-style homes built long before accessibility codes existed.
That history shapes what a stair lift job looks like here. Most of the staircases we expect to see are straight, single runs rather than the complex multi-flight layouts of newer construction. The county also covers about 1,162 square miles with about 2.6 people per square mile, so planning a home visit outside town takes some coordination.
The housing in Bowman County is mostly single-family homes, ranch-style homes and split-level homes, with some walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. Older farmhouse and railroad-town houses usually have one straight flight between floors. A straight stair lift is the usual fit for that, and it tends to be the simplest unit to measure and install.
Split-level homes are different. They have short flights between levels, and a person may need help on more than one of them. Sometimes that means a lift on each flight, and sometimes a curved rail if the stairs turn at a landing.
Walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings raise a separate question: who owns the stairway. In shared hallways the building owner has to agree before anything is attached to the stairs.
Bowman County is semi-arid country with high hills running north-south through the west-central part of the county, and its highest point reaches 3,228 feet. Homes on rolling ground often have exterior steps up to a porch or entry. An outdoor stair lift is built for that kind of exposure and is a different unit from an indoor model.
When steps are short but a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift can make more sense than a seat. We look at the entry, the ground and how the person moves before suggesting either one.
About 20.3% of Bowman County residents are 65 or older, and about 79.2% of households own their homes. Owning the house matters, because an owner can decide on a stair lift without asking a landlord. It also matters for the VA housing grants, which require the veteran to own or plan to own the home.
If that describes you or your parent, start with the county veterans office in the courthouse in Bowman before paying out of pocket.
North Dakota has no local Area Agencies on Aging. Instead, state Adult and Aging Services staff handle that role, and Bowman County residents go through one intake line at (855) 462-5465. That call is the place to ask about Medicaid waiver services, SPED and Expanded SPED for your situation.
Be aware that the sources we checked do not confirm stair lift coverage for most of these programs. The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. Other statewide names worth asking about include the Environmental Modification service under the North Dakota Medicaid HCBS Aged and Disabled Waiver, the ND Assistive Assistive Technology Financial Loan (ATFL) Program and the North Dakota Homestead Property Tax Credit for Seniors and Disabled.
Veterans can reach the Bowman County Veterans Service Office at (701) 523-7774, at the Courthouse, 104 1st Street NW, Bowman. The state Aging Services Division in Bismarck is at (701) 328-8910.
The single statewide front door for aging and disability services, which routes Bowman County callers to the right provider, waiver or case manager. It does not fund equipment itself and stair lifts are not listed; call (855) 462-5465.
A Medicaid program for eligible older adults and people with physical disabilities who need a nursing-facility level of care but want to stay home. Stair lift or home modification coverage is not listed in the source; ask through (855) 462-5465.
A state program for residents 65 and older or disabled, at set income levels, who need help to keep living at home. The source does not list stair lifts or home modifications; call (855) 462-5465.
A higher income band of SPED for people who are over the base SPED limits but still qualify. Stair lift coverage is not listed in the source; call (855) 462-5465.
Funds housing rehabilitation for very low and low income households, but grants go to local governments, so Bowman County or the City of Bowman would need to run a local project. Stair lift coverage is not listed; the Department of Commerce number is (701) 328-5300.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 for FY 2026 for veterans with certain serious service-connected disabilities who own or plan to own the home. Listed examples are ramps and wider doorways, and stair lifts are not named.
A VA grant of up to $25,350 for FY 2026 for veterans with certain service-connected disabilities who own or plan to own the home. Stair lifts are not named in the source.
A VA benefit for medically necessary home alterations, with a lifetime cap of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability status. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides are specifically excluded.
A nonprofit offering information and referral, peer support, advocacy and skills training, with offices in Bismarck and Dickinson. Equipment funding is not listed and its coverage of Bowman County is unconfirmed; call (701) 222-3636.
Older adults
600 E Boulevard Ave, Dept 325, Bismarck, 58505
Veterans
Courthouse, 104 1st Street NW, Bowman, 58623
Most likely, yes. Many homes in Bowman date to its railroad-town beginnings and have straight, single-run staircases, which are the simplest fit for a straight stair lift.
Yes, but plan ahead. The county covers about 1,162 square miles with very few people per square mile, so home visits outside the county seat take scheduling.
No. North Dakota has no local Area Agencies on Aging. State Adult and Aging Services staff fill that role, and you reach them through the intake line at (855) 462-5465.
The HISA grant does not, because it excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either, so call the Bowman County Veterans Service Office at (701) 523-7774 to talk through your case.
Split-level homes have short flights between levels. Depending on how the person moves through the house, that may call for more than one lift or a curved rail if the stairs turn.
Yes. Exterior steps need an outdoor stair lift built for the weather, and for a wheelchair user a platform lift may be the better choice.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
