Divide County sits in the extreme northwest corner of North Dakota, up against both Canada and Montana. Much of the housing in Crosby, Ambrose, Fortuna, Noonan and the farmsteads between them dates to the early-20th-century homesteading boom, and a lot of those houses have steep basement stairs or a second floor that gets harder to reach every winter.
With about 1.7 people per square mile, help is often a long drive away, and moving to a facility can mean leaving the county entirely. A stair lift is one way to keep using the whole house you already own. This page covers which lift fits which kind of local home and where to look for help paying for it.
Most homes here are standalone single-family and farmhouse construction rather than newer multi-story subdivisions. In a ranch-style home, the stairs that matter are usually the ones going down to the basement, where the laundry, freezer or furnace room often sits.
Straight basement stairs are usually the simplest and least costly install. Older farmhouse stairways are a different story. They can be narrow, turn at a landing or wind partway up, and those layouts call for a curved rail built to fit that exact staircase.
Split-level homes put a few steps between every level, so one person may face two or three short flights in a single day. Sometimes one curved lift can follow the stairs through a turn. Other times two straight lifts on separate flights make more sense.
We measure each flight in person before recommending anything. A few low-rise buildings in the county also have shared entry stairs, and those need a conversation with the owner before any lift is planned.
The harsh northern-Plains winter is a real factor here. Front and back porch steps take ice and snow for months, and they are often where a fall happens. Outdoor stair lifts are built for weather exposure and can run along entry steps.
If the person uses a wheelchair or cannot transfer to a seat, a vertical platform lift at the entrance may be a better fit than a chair-style lift. With long distances to contractors, it pays to plan entry access and indoor stairs in one visit.
About 33.1% of Divide County residents are 65 or older, and the median age is 49.7. Roughly 65.3% of households own their home, which matters because several funding programs below require that you own the house being modified.
If that includes your parent or spouse, the Divide County Veterans Service Office in Crosby is a good first call.
The North Dakota Medicaid HCBS waiver is the program most likely to help with the cost for someone who qualifies for Medicaid and needs help with daily tasks. Written Medicaid approval is required before any work begins, so do not schedule an install first.
For homeowners who do not qualify for Medicaid, the ND Assistive loan program offers up to $50,000 at a 2% fixed rate for home modifications. Lower-income households in rural areas, which includes all of Divide County, can also ask USDA Rural Development about the Section 504 repair program. Details for each program are listed below.
This waiver can help pay for home changes for people 65 or older or with a disability who qualify for ND Medicaid and need help with daily tasks, and stair lifts fall under its home modification category with case-by-case approval. Changes over $500 need a professional assessment and written approval before work starts; call (800) 755-2604.
This is the local intake office at 200 N. Main St. in Crosby where residents apply for Medicaid and other benefits; it does not fund stair lifts itself and does not list home modifications. Call (701) 965-6521, Monday through Friday, 8am to 4:30pm CT.
Offers loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners at or below 50% of area median income, with grants limited to those 62 and older who cannot repay a loan. Stair lifts are not listed, though ramps and grab bars are, so ask the local USDA Rural Development service center.
These grants help veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities modify a home they own, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 for FY2026. Stair lifts are not listed, so coverage is case-by-case; the Divide County Veterans Service Office at (701) 965-6641 can help you start.
A nonprofit center offering information, referral and advocacy for people with disabilities in Divide and nearby counties; it does not list stair lifts or home modifications. Call (701) 839-4724 for referrals.
A low-interest loan of up to $50,000 at a 2% fixed rate for North Dakota residents with a disability who can repay, and home modifications such as stair lifts qualify if you own the home. Call (800) 895-4728.
A no-repayment grant, usually not more than $2,000, for assistive technology needs not covered elsewhere, for people who meet income guidelines. Stair lifts are not listed; call (800) 895-4728 to ask.
Provides safety items such as grab bars, bed rails and shower chairs to North Dakota residents 60 and older who do not live in a nursing facility. Stair lifts are not on its list; call (800) 895-4728.
Older adults
600 E Boulevard Ave, Dept 325, Bismarck, 58505
Veterans
200 North Main, Crosby, 58730
It may, through the North Dakota Medicaid HCBS waiver, if the person qualifies for ND Medicaid and needs help with daily tasks. Approval is case-by-case, and written approval is required before work begins. Call (800) 755-2604 or apply at the North Star Human Service Zone office in Crosby at (701) 965-6521.
Yes, in some cases. The HCBS waiver also covers people with a disability, and the ND Assistive loan program is open to North Dakota residents with a disability of any age. The Senior Safety Program starts at 60, though it does not list stair lifts.
Yes. All of Divide County qualifies as rural for the Section 504 program, including Crosby, Ambrose, Fortuna, Noonan and farmsteads. Income must be at or below 50% of area median income.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are made for weather exposure. If the person cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift at the entry may work better. We look at both during the home visit.
Call the Divide County Veterans Service Office at 200 North Main in Crosby, (701) 965-6641. They can help check eligibility for VA housing adaptation grants, which do not name stair lifts and are decided case by case.
The Aging Services Division in Bismarck handles statewide aging programs. Their number is (701) 328-8910.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
