In the City of York and the older boroughs around it, many streets are lined with 19th- and early-20th-century brick rowhouses and stately homes with bay windows and ornate cornices. Those houses are narrow and multistory, and the bedrooms and baths are almost always upstairs. Out past York into places like Dover, Red Lion, Hanover and Chanceford, the land rolls and climbs, and homes on sloped lots often come with raised entries and split levels.
That mix shapes what kind of stair lift makes sense in York County. A steep, straight staircase in a rowhouse is a different job from a split-level with short flights or a front entry with exterior steps on a hill. This page walks through how local homes and terrain affect the choice, and which county, state and federal programs may help with the cost.
Much of the older housing in York County has steep, straight interior staircases and no room for a ground-floor bedroom. Converting a downstairs room is often not realistic in a narrow rowhouse, so a stair lift is usually the practical way to keep using the upstairs bedroom and bath.
Straight staircases are the simplest case for a stair lift. The rail runs along one wall, and the chair folds up when it is not in use so others can still use the stairs. In a narrow stairway, we measure the width and check the top and bottom landings closely before recommending a model.
York County sits in Pennsylvania's Piedmont region, bordered by the Susquehanna River on the east and the Mason-Dixon line on the south. The ground is generally hilly, with wide valleys along Codorus and Conewago Creeks. On sloped lots, homes often have raised entries and split levels, which means more steps inside and out.
A split-level with a turn or a landing between flights may call for a curved rail built to fit that staircase. When the trouble is getting from the driveway or yard into the house, an outdoor stair lift built for weather is one option. Where someone uses a wheelchair, a platform lift can be worth looking at instead of a seat.
York County is home to about 458,709 people across 84 municipalities, and 18.1% are 65 or older. About 75.3% of households own their homes, and many owners have lived in the same house for years and want to stay.
If a veteran in your family has a service-connected disability, the VA grants listed below are worth checking, and the York County Department of Veterans Affairs at (717) 771-9218 can help with the paperwork.
Several programs serve York County residents. The Community HealthChoices waiver lists stair lifts among its home adaptations for people who qualify for Medicaid and need a nursing-facility level of care. Other programs cover home accessibility work in general, but their sources do not specifically mention stair lifts, so ask directly when you call.
A good first call for older adults is the York County AAA at (717) 771-9610, located at 100 W. Market St. Suite 102, York, 17401. Statewide, the PA Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) and VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) are other places to look.
A Medicaid waiver for Pennsylvanians generally age 21+ who need a nursing-facility level of care and want to stay home; stair lifts are covered, decided case by case by the participant's CHC Managed Care Organization, with proof of home ownership or a landlord letter of consent. Call (800) 757-5042.
A state lottery-funded in-home services program for Pennsylvania residents age 60 and older, with a sliding-scale co-payment based on income and no strict income cutoff. The source does not mention stair lifts; call (717) 771-9610 to ask.
A county home modification program for older adults who want to age in place, with need set through a home evaluation; it excludes roofs, electrical problems and appliances. Stair lifts are not listed in the source, so ask at (717) 771-9610.
A state-funded home accessibility grant for low- and moderate-income people with disabilities and older adults, delivered locally by CIL Opportunities. Stair lifts are not listed in the source; call (717) 849-0991.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 for FY2026 for veterans who own or will own the home and have a qualifying service-connected disability, such as loss or loss of use of both legs. The source does not list stair lifts; call (800) 827-1000.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 for FY2026 for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, such as loss or loss of use of both hands or certain breathing injuries. Stair lifts are not listed in the source; call (800) 827-1000.
A subsidized major home repair program for York County homeowners who have lived in the home 3+ years, with income at or below 60% of HUD median (80% for veterans) and sliding-scale repayment. Whether stair lifts are included is unknown; call (803) 328-1728.
Older adults
100 W. Market St. Suite 102, York, 17401
Veterans
2401 Pleasant Valley Road, York, 17402
Many older rowhouses have steep, straight staircases, which is the most common setup for a stair lift. Narrow stairs need careful measuring of the width and landings, which we do during the home visit.
Stairs that turn or break at a landing usually need a curved rail made for that staircase. Split levels are common on the sloped lots found across York County.
The Community HealthChoices waiver lists stair lifts among home adaptations for people who qualify and need a nursing-facility level of care. Approval is case by case through the participant's managed care organization. Call (800) 757-5042.
The OPTIONS Program serves Pennsylvania residents age 60 and older with a sliding-scale co-payment and no strict income cutoff. The York County AAA also runs a home modification program. Both can be reached at (717) 771-9610, though neither source specifically mentions stair lifts.
The York County Department of Veterans Affairs at 2401 Pleasant Valley Road, York, can be reached at (717) 771-9218. The VA's SAH and SHA grants are available for qualifying service-connected disabilities through (800) 827-1000.
Yes, an outdoor stair lift built for weather can handle exterior steps at a raised entry. For a wheelchair user, 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.
