Astoria's historic core sits on wooden pilings, a 19th-century way of building on marshy ground that still shows in parts of the county's older housing. Add the hills around town and the slopes rising toward the Coast Range, and many homes from Astoria to Cannon Beach end up with more than one level and a flight of stairs in the middle.
We install stair lifts in all 10 communities in the county, including Seaside, Warrenton, Gearhart, Knappa, Svensen, River Point, Westport and Jeffers Gardens. This page covers how local homes and weather shape the choice of lift, and which programs can help pay for one.
Most stair lift decisions start with the staircase itself. A single straight run between two floors, common in many single-family homes and townhouses, usually takes a straight stair lift, which is the simplest type to fit.
Split-level homes are different. Short flights broken up by landings often call for a curved rail that follows each turn, or in some cases a separate lift for each section. Older multi-level homes built on hillsides can have narrow or turning stairs that also point toward a curved model.
Walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings add another step: the building owner usually has to approve the install. We measure the stairs, check the width and the landings, and explain what will fit before anything is ordered.
The county covers 1,084 square miles, with hilly and mountainous ground that climbs to Saddle Mountain at 3,283 feet. On many lots, the hardest stairs are outside: the steps from the street or driveway up to the front door.
Typical Pacific Northwest coastal rain makes those exterior steps slick for much of the year. An outdoor stair lift built for weather can handle a front or side staircase. Where a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat.
About 24.1% of county residents are 65 or older, a large share for any place. Many are longtime residents who want to stay in the house they know, stairs and all.
Roughly 56.7% of households own their home, which matters because several funding programs require ownership. Renters are not shut out, though: at least one loan program below accepts renters who have landlord permission.
VA benefits can help with some home changes, but not every VA grant covers a stair lift, so it pays to read the details below.
Only one program on our list names stair lifts directly: the Northwest Access Fund, which offers home modification loans up to $60,000 with terms up to 10 years. It serves people of any age with any disability, including age-related limits, and poor credit alone does not disqualify an applicant.
Other programs fund home repairs, accessibility changes or in-home services without naming stair lifts. It is worth asking each one. Northwest Senior & Disability Services is the local starting point for older adults, and the Clatsop County Veteran Service Office in Astoria helps veterans sort out their VA options.
One firm answer: the VA HISA grant excludes stair glides, so veterans should not count on it for a stair lift.
A nonprofit low-interest loan of up to $60,000, repaid over up to 10 years, that lists installation of stairlifts as an eligible modification; homeowners and renters with landlord permission may qualify. Call (206) 328-5116.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary fixed alterations such as roll-in showers and entrance ramps. It does not cover stair lifts, since the VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts.
VA grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 (FY2026). The source describes ramps and widened doorways but does not list stair lifts.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners age 62+ in USDA-eligible rural areas; stair lifts are not listed among covered repairs. Eligibility must be checked address by address with USDA's online tool.
Medicaid support for eligible Oregon seniors and people with disabilities who need help staying at home, set by an individual service plan. The source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications; call (800) 699-9075.
Limited in-home services, including personal care, case management and assistive technology, for Oregonians who do not need full Medicaid long-term care. Stair lifts are not listed; call (855) 673-2372.
The local information, referral and case-management office for older adults and people with disabilities, with a Warrenton office at 2002 SE Chokeberry Avenue. It is not a direct funding source and stair lifts are not listed; call (866) 206-4799.
A state-funded home repair grant for veteran homeowners, run by local nonprofits, that includes accessibility and adaptability modifications among covered repairs. Stair lifts are not named; call (800) 453-5511.
A free county office, run with Clatsop Community Action, that helps veterans with VA benefits counseling, health care enrollment and claims. It does not fund stair lifts directly; call (971) 308-1045.
Older adults
3410 Cherry Ave NE, Salem, 97303
Veterans
364 9th St., Astoria, 97103
No. The VA's HISA program excludes removable equipment such as portable ramps, porch lifts and stair glides. It funds fixed changes like roll-in showers, widened doorways and entrance ramps.
The Northwest Access Fund lists stairlift installation as an eligible modification and accepts renters who have landlord permission. Loans go up to $60,000 with terms up to 10 years. Call (206) 328-5116.
Most Clatsop County communities are small enough to likely qualify, but USDA confirms eligibility address by address with its online tool. The grant portion is limited to homeowners age 62+, and the program does not name stair lifts.
The Clatsop County VSO Veteran Services Office at 364 9th St., Astoria, helps with VA claims and benefits counseling. Call (971) 308-1045.
Northwest Senior & Disability Services serves Clatsop County, with a Warrenton office reachable at (866) 206-4799. Its main office is at 3410 Cherry Ave NE, Salem, phone (503) 304-3456.
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior stairs, which matters with the coastal rain here. If the user needs to stay in a wheelchair, a platform lift may be the better fit.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
