Pike County is mostly rural, hilly country in Ohio's Appalachian south. Homes are spread out around the county seat of Waverly, the villages of Piketon and Beaver, and unincorporated communities like Latham. As of the 2020 Census, 81.7% of residents lived in rural areas.
Because so much of the housing here is standalone and privately owned, no two staircases look quite alike. This page covers what that means for fitting a stair lift, how the terrain affects outdoor access, and which programs Pike County residents can call about paying for the work.
Pike County had 11,979 housing units as of the 2020 Census, with a 65.9% owner-occupied rate. Most of that stock is single-family and detached houses built one at a time, not rows of matching tract homes from one builder.
For a stair lift, that variety matters. A straight flight with no landings can usually take a standard straight rail. Stairs with a turn, a landing partway up, or an odd angle need a curved rail built to that exact staircase, so an in-home measurement comes first.
The county covers 444 square miles of unglaciated hill-and-valley terrain, and many rural home sites sit on sloped ground. That often means steps up to the porch or entry, not just stairs inside.
When the hard part is getting into the house, an outdoor stair lift, a porch lift or a ramp may be the better project. A sloped yard can make a ramp long, which is one reason people compare it against a lift. It makes sense to look at the outside steps and the inside stairs together before choosing.
Not everyone lives in a detached house. Pike County also has townhouses and walk-up apartments, where the stairs may be narrow or shared.
In a townhouse the stairs are usually inside the unit, so a straight or curved lift can work much like it does in a house. In a walk-up apartment with shared stairs, the building owner has to approve any installation, so that conversation should happen early.
For many families, the question is how to keep a parent safely in a home they already own.
If a veteran is in the household, the Pike County Veterans Service Office at 120 S. Market St. in Waverly can help sort out VA benefits. Their number is (740) 947-2766.
Pike County's 2024 median household income was $52,736, and the poverty rate was 21.3%, well above the national average. That is why Medicaid programs like PASSPORT, VA benefits and USDA funding play a large part in how local residents pay for accessibility equipment.
None of the programs below lists stair lifts by name, and the VA HISA grant specifically excludes them. Several do fund home modifications or accessibility upgrades, so ask each one directly whether a stair lift could be approved in your case. Area Agency on Aging District 7 (AAA 7) is the regional starting point at (740) 245-5306 or (800) 582-7277.
A state Medicaid waiver for Ohioans 60 and older who need a nursing-facility level of care and meet Medicaid financial rules; it includes a general home modification service, but stair lifts are not listed by name. Call (844) 644-6582; in Pike County it is run through AAA7.
Helps Ohioans of any age move from a nursing home, hospital or ICF/IID back to a home or community setting; the source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Call AAA7 at (800) 582-7277.
Provides critical repairs and accessibility upgrades for eligible seniors in a 10-county region that includes Pike County; stair lifts are not named, so ask whether one could qualify. Call (800) 582-7277.
Offers very-low-income rural homeowners loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest and, for those 62 and older, grants up to $10,000 to remove health and safety hazards, with combined help up to $50,000. Stair lifts are not named; ramps and walk-in tubs are given as examples.
A VA grant for enrolled veterans with a lifetime cap of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability status. It does not cover stair lifts: stair glides and porch lifts are specifically excluded.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026 toward a permanent home; stair lifts are not named in the source. Call (800) 827-1000.
Older adults
Rio Grande, Rio Grande, 45674
Veterans
120 S. Market St., Waverly, 45690
PASSPORT includes a home modification service for people 60 and older who qualify, with the amount set by each person's approved service plan. Stair lifts are not listed by name, so ask about your case at (844) 644-6582 or through AAA7.
The HISA grant does not; it excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants fund adaptations for severe service-connected disabilities but do not name stair lifts, so call (800) 827-1000 or the Pike County Veterans Service Office at (740) 947-2766 to ask.
The USDA Section 504 program offers grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan, to remove health and safety hazards. Pike County is rural and eligible. Stair lifts are not named, so approval would depend on the local USDA Rural Development office.
Many Pike County homes are on sloped ground, so the outside steps can be as much of a problem as the inside stairs. Compare an outdoor stair lift or porch lift against a ramp, since a slope can make a ramp long.
Area Agency on Aging District 7 (AAA 7) serves Pike County and coordinates PASSPORT, HOME Choice and its Home Repair Program. Reach them at (740) 245-5306 or (800) 582-7277.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
