Fayette County spreads across 407 square miles of south-central Ohio, with Washington Court House as the county seat and Jeffersonville and Bloomingburg rounding out its three towns. Roughly half the population lives in town and the other half out in the country, so the stairs we measure here range from older in-town houses to outlying farmhouses.
That split matters for a stair lift. A narrow staircase in an older Washington Court House home asks for different hardware than a farmhouse stair with a landing or a split-level with short runs. This page walks through what fits which kind of home in Fayette County and which local and federal programs are worth a phone call.
The county had 12,663 housing units as of 2020. Most are single-family and detached houses, along with townhouses, walk-up apartments and split-level homes. Each of these puts a different staircase in front of the person who needs help.
A single straight flight between floors is the simplest job, and a straight rail usually covers it. Stairs that turn at a landing or wind around a corner need a curved rail built to that staircase. Split-level homes often have two or three short flights, so the first question there is which floors the person truly needs to reach every day.
Stair configurations and structural conditions vary widely between older in-town housing and rural farmhouses. That is why we measure in person before quoting a rail type.
Fayette County sits on the rolling-to-flat till plain of glaciated central Ohio, without dramatic elevation change. Compared with the hillier counties of southeastern Ohio, the ground around most homes here is fairly level.
That helps when the problem is outside. A few porch or entry steps can often be handled with an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift, and level yards give more room to work with. Inside the house, the staircase itself decides between a straight or curved rail.
About 16.3% of Fayette County's 16,731 residents are 65 or older, an age group that often needs changes at home to keep using every floor. Many families start looking after a fall or a hospital stay, but measuring early gives more time to sort out funding.
If a veteran lives in the home, a call to the county veterans office before buying is worth making, since the VA programs have their own rules about what they will pay for.
No program in the sources we reviewed names stair lifts as a covered item, so plan on asking each one directly. Fayette County is part of the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging region, which runs PASSPORT and Older Americans Act home repair services for adults 60 and older. The Fayette County Commission on Aging at (740) 335-2159 is the local starting point.
For rural homeowners with lower incomes, USDA Section 504 offers repair loans up to $40,000 and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older. The source lists ramps, grab bars and walk-in tubs as approved work, so ask the local USDA office whether a stair lift qualifies.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either way, and the Fayette County Veterans Service Commission at (740) 335-1610 can help with those claims.
An Ohio Medicaid waiver for people 60 and older who qualify financially and need nursing-facility level of care but can stay safely at home; stair lifts are not listed among its covered services. Screen through Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging at (614) 645-7250.
Home repair and chore services for adults 60 and older in the COAAA region, including Fayette County, with no income or asset test and a suggested voluntary donation. Stair lifts are not listed, so confirm scope by calling (800) 589-7277 or the Fayette County Commission on Aging at (740) 335-2159.
Rural home repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older with income at or below 50% of area median. Stair lifts are not listed among the accessibility examples, so approval would be up to the local USDA Rural Development office.
A VA health-benefit grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for home structural changes tied to a documented disability. It does not cover stair lifts; stair glides are explicitly excluded.
A VA grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home. Stair lifts are not listed as covered or excluded; call (800) 827-1000.
A VA grant of 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; call (800) 827-1000.
The county office in Washington Court House that helps veterans file VA claims and understand benefits; it does not list home modification funding itself. Call (740) 335-1610 for an appointment.
The local senior services provider for residents 60 and older, offering meals, transportation and supportive services; stair lifts are not listed. It is the local starting point for PASSPORT and home repair services at (740) 335-2159.
Older adults
3776 S. High St., Columbus, 43207
Veterans
133 S. Main St., Suite L11, Washington Court House, 43160
The VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either way, so ask about them through the Fayette County Veterans Service Commission at (740) 335-1610 or the VA at (800) 827-1000.
PASSPORT, the Older Americans Act home repair services and the Fayette County Commission on Aging all serve people 60 and older. USDA Section 504 loans have no stated age floor, while its grants are for homeowners 62 and older.
Washington Court House has roughly 14,000 residents, under the general 35,000 limit, so it would likely qualify. USDA's official property eligibility map makes the final call.
For an older resident, start with the Fayette County Commission on Aging at (740) 335-2159. It is the local intake point for PASSPORT and home repair services through the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging.
Often a split-level has several short flights, and a straight rail can work on each straight run. If the person needs to pass a landing that turns, a curved rail is usually needed, which we confirm when we measure.
The Older Americans Act Title III home repair and chore services through COAAA have no income or asset requirement, with a suggested voluntary donation. Stair lifts are not listed, so call (800) 589-7277 to ask what they cover.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
