From the older streets of Milford and Batavia to the subdivisions around Amelia, Withamsville and Mount Carmel, a lot of Clermont County houses were built when the county was growing fast. Between 1950 and 1960 the population went from about 42,182 to 80,530, and growth kept going through the 1980s and 1990s as Cincinnati spread east. That building boom left behind many two-story and split-level homes.
Farther south and east, villages like New Richmond, Felicity, Bethel and Williamsburg sit in the hills and river valley along the Ohio River. Those hills often mean steps at the front door as well as stairs inside. This page walks through what that means for a stair lift and which local programs may help with the cost.
Clermont County had 86,363 housing units in the 2020 Census. In many single-family homes from the 1960s through the 1990s, the bedrooms and the only full bath are upstairs. If one straight flight runs from the first floor to the second, a straight stair lift is usually the simplest and least costly fit.
Split-level homes are a different job. They often have several short flights with a landing or turn between levels. Each short flight can get its own straight lift, or one curved rail can follow the turns, depending on how the person moves between levels and where the bedroom and bath sit.
Townhouses tend to have narrow stairs, and some turn at a landing. We measure stair width, the turn and the space at the top and bottom before recommending a model, because a folding seat and rail have to leave room for others to use the stairs.
The county's name comes from the French for clear hills, and the land matches it. In hillier places like Felicity, Bethel and New Richmond, the hardest steps may be outside, between the driveway and the porch or front door.
An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather and can run along exterior steps. Where the climb is short and a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat. We look at the whole route from the car to the bedroom, not just the indoor staircase.
Many of those older residents bought their homes during the county's suburban growth years and want to stay in them.
If you rent, including in a walk-up apartment, talk with the landlord before ordering anything. A stair lift bolts to the stair treads, not the wall, but the owner still needs to agree to the installation.
Clermont County residents age 60 and older who are Medicaid-eligible and need a nursing-facility level of care can look at PASSPORT, which lists home modification as a covered service. Approval is case by case through a care manager, so a stair lift is possible but not guaranteed. The Council on Aging of SW Ohio in Blue Ash handles it at (513) 721-1025.
Clermont Senior Services in Batavia runs the county's home care program at (513) 724-1255. Its materials do not mention stair lifts, so call and ask whether they can fund one or refer you. Statewide options also include the Ohio Home Care Waiver and Ohio HOME Choice (Money Follows the Person).
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The Clermont County Veterans Service Office at (513) 732-7363 can help sort out which VA benefits might apply. In rural parts of the county, USDA repair loans and grants may be worth checking, though stair lifts are not named in that program.
A Medicaid waiver for Ohioans 60 and older who need a nursing-facility level of care; home modification is a covered category, so a stair lift can be approved case by case but is not guaranteed. Call the Council on Aging of SW Ohio at (513) 721-1025.
Managed care for people fully eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, which launched in Clermont County on Jan. 1, 2026. The source does not list stair lifts or home modifications; call (513) 721-1025 to ask.
The county's senior services agency in Batavia, where home care is the largest service. Stair lifts and home modifications are not listed, so call (513) 724-1255 to ask whether they can fund or refer for one.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners in USDA-eligible rural areas, with grants limited to those 62 and older who cannot repay a loan. Stair lifts are not named; the listed accessibility examples are a wheelchair ramp and a walk-in tub.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically needed structural changes, but it does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides are excluded as removable equipment. VA benefits line: (800) 827-1000.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities to adapt a home they own. Stair lifts are not listed on the source; call (800) 827-1000 to ask.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands or severe burns. Stair lifts are not listed on the source.
Older adults
4601 Malsbary Road, Blue Ash, 45242
Veterans
76 South Riverside Drive, Heritage Building, 3rd Floor, Batavia, 45103
PASSPORT starts at age 60, so it would not apply. Clermont Senior Services at (513) 724-1255 does not publish its age rules, so call and ask what they offer.
Not through the HISA grant, which excludes stair glides. SAH and SHA do not name stair lifts either way, so call the Clermont County Veterans Service Office at (513) 732-7363 to review your options.
Usually, yes. Each short flight can get its own straight lift, or a curved rail can run through the turns. We measure every flight and landing before recommending one.
USDA Section 504 depends on whether your address is in an eligible rural area, which is more likely in places like Felicity, Bethel or Williamsburg than in Milford. Stair lifts are not named in the program, so confirm the use with USDA.
No. PASSPORT applicants must not be enrolled in MyCare Ohio. The Council on Aging of SW Ohio at (513) 721-1025 can tell you which program fits.
An outdoor stair lift can run along exterior steps, and a platform lift may suit a wheelchair user. We look at the full path from the driveway inside.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
