The Dalles grew up along the Columbia River at the mouth of the Columbia River Gorge, and parts of its core still hold housing from the 1800s. The Surgeon's Quarters that houses the Fort Dalles Museum went up in 1856. Homes from that era and the decades after were built long before modern accessibility codes, so stepped entries and multi-level layouts are common.
Outside the county seat, the picture changes. Chenoweth, Dufur, Mosier, Pine Hollow and Maupin sit across about 2,395 square miles of gorge lowlands, plateaus and foothills. This page covers which kind of stair lift tends to fit the homes here, and which local and state programs may help cover the cost.
Many houses in the older parts of The Dalles have steep, narrow staircases, landings that turn, or more than one level inside. A straight staircase with no turns usually takes a straight rail stair lift, which is the simplest and quickest to install.
Stairs that bend at a landing or wrap around a corner need a curved rail built to the exact shape of the staircase. That means we measure first and the rail is made to fit. Split-level homes are their own case: the short runs between levels can sometimes be handled with separate straight lifts instead of one long curved rail, and we talk through both options at the visit.
Stepped entries are often the first barrier, before anyone reaches the indoor stairs. An outdoor stair lift rated for weather can run along porch or entry steps, and a vertical platform lift can work where a wheelchair or walker has to come along too.
Townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings across the county bring another question: who owns the stairs. In a rental or shared stairwell, the owner or building manager has to approve the install, so it helps to get that conversation started early.
About 34.8% of county residents live in rural areas outside The Dalles, in places like Dufur, Maupin, Mosier and Shaniko. Contractors and medical providers are concentrated mainly in the county seat, so travel times run longer for people farther out.
For a family planning ahead, that means scheduling the measurement visit before the need becomes urgent. It also helps to have photos of the stairs and entry ready when you call, so the right rail type can be discussed from the start.
About 20.1% of residents are 65 or older, and 65.3% own their homes. Owning the house matters here, because a homeowner can decide on a permanent install without waiting on anyone else's approval.
That opens a few more doors for paying, covered in the next section, and the Wasco County Veteran Services Office at 401 E 3rd Street, Suite 200, The Dalles, can help sort out which benefits apply. Their number is (541) 506-2502.
No single program here names stair lifts outright, so most families piece together options. The one with the clearest language is the Oregon Housing and Community Services Restore Health and Safety Program, which lists accessibility and adaptability modifications among eligible repairs, but it is open to veteran homeowners only.
Two local home repair programs serve Wasco and Hood River County homeowners and fund health and safety repairs; call them to ask whether a stair lift qualifies. For in-home care support, the Oregon APD Medicaid Waiver and Oregon Project Independence are run locally through CAPECO's Area Agency on Aging. The full list with phone numbers is below.
A federal 1% interest repair loan with up to a 20-year term, plus a lifetime grant for very-low-income rural homeowners; much of Wasco County outside The Dalles' denser core is commonly USDA-eligible, but each address must be checked. The source does not mention stair lifts, so call (800) 414-1226 to ask.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 for service-connected disabilities or $2,000 for other eligible disabilities, for medically necessary permanent alterations like roll-in showers or permanent ramps. It does not cover stair lifts; the VA lists stair glides by name as excluded removable equipment.
Grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities to build, buy or adapt a home, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 for FY2026. The VA source does not list stair lifts by name, so ask whether one can be part of an approved project.
Oregon Medicaid in-home support for people 65 and older or adults with a qualifying physical disability who meet a nursing-facility level of care, including Housing Support Services. Stair lifts are not listed; a case manager decides what fits a care plan, reached at (800) 699-9075.
A state-funded, sliding-scale in-home services program for people who need limited help but not full Medicaid care, covering things like personal care, meals and assistive technology. Stair lifts and home modifications are not named; call (855) 673-2372.
The Area Agency on Aging for Wasco County, offering options counseling, caregiver support, transportation and local administration of Oregon Project Independence for adults 60 and older and people with disabilities. It does not list stair lift funding but is a good first call at (855) 673-2372.
A zero-interest, deferred-payment loan of up to $25,000 for health and safety repairs on owner-occupied homes in Wasco or Hood River County, with income limits. Stair lifts are not listed, so call (541) 296-5462 to ask whether one qualifies.
A grant of up to $20,000 for health and safety repairs for low-to-moderate income homeowners in Wasco or Hood River County, including mobile homes manufactured after 1976, with a pre-application waitlist. Stair lifts are not named; call (541) 296-3397 to confirm eligible repairs.
A state grant for veteran homeowners at risk of displacement due to health and safety problems in the home, and it lists accessibility and adaptability modifications among covered repairs. Call (800) 453-5511 to find the homeownership center serving Wasco County and confirm a stair lift qualifies.
A center for independent living with an office in The Dalles offering peer counseling, support groups and independent-living training for people with disabilities. It does not fund stair lifts but can point you toward a funding source; call (541) 370-2810.
Older adults
515 East 2nd Street, The Dalles, 97058
Veterans
401 E 3rd Street, Suite 200, The Dalles, 97058
Not through the HISA grant, which excludes stair glides as removable equipment. The SAH and SHA grants do not list stair lifts by name, and the OHCS Restore Health and Safety Program, open to veterans only, lists accessibility modifications. The Wasco County Veteran Services Office at (541) 506-2502 can help you sort through these.
Yes, possibly. The Oregon APD Medicaid Waiver covers adults with a qualifying physical disability, not only people 65 and older, and CAPECO's Area Agency on Aging serves people 60 and older and people with disabilities. EOCIL in The Dalles also works with people with disabilities of any age.
It depends on the program. Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation offers a zero-interest, deferred-payment loan of up to $25,000, while Mid-Columbia Housing Authority offers a grant of up to $20,000 and keeps a waitlist. Neither names stair lifts, so ask each one directly.
CAPECO runs the Area Agency on Aging for Wasco County. Mid-Columbia Council of Governments, which used to fill that role, has wound down its programs. You can reach CAPECO at (855) 673-2372, and the Community Action Program East Central Oregon (Mid-Columbia) office at 515 East 2nd Street in The Dalles is at (541) 278-5681.
Mainly timing. Contractors and medical providers are concentrated in The Dalles, so travel times are longer for outlying towns. Starting early and sending photos of your stairs and entry ahead of the visit helps keep things moving.
Usually, yes. Split-level homes often have short runs between levels, and those can sometimes take separate straight lifts rather than one curved rail. We measure each run before recommending one or the other.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
