Marion County stretches across 494.17 square miles of flat coastal-plain land, crossed by the Great Pee Dee River, the Waccamaw River and the Lumber River. Marion and Mullins hold most of the county's services, while Centenary, Daviston and the unincorporated areas spread families out over long rural roads. As of the 2020 census, 59.1% of residents lived in rural areas.
Most homes here are older rural single-family houses and modest, mostly single-story properties. That means many households never need a stair lift at all. The ones that do usually have a split-level layout, a second floor, a townhouse, or a walk-up apartment, and this page walks through what fits each one and where to look for help paying.
A single-story house on flat ground often needs a ramp or grab bars more than a stair lift. The stairs that cause trouble tend to be inside split-level homes, two-story detached houses and townhouses, where a bedroom or bathroom sits up a flight.
Split-level homes are a special case. They often have short runs of stairs between levels, and each run may need its own lift. We measure every flight before suggesting anything.
A straight stair lift fits a single flight with no turns or landings. It is the most common choice in older detached houses with one plain staircase.
Curved lifts are built to follow stairs that turn or have a landing partway up. Outdoor lifts are made for steps outside the house, and a platform lift is an option when someone uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat. Which one makes sense depends on the stairs in front of us, not on a catalog.
About 68.9% of the county's roughly 14,253 housing units are owner-occupied and 31.1% are rented. That split matters, because owners generally decide whether a stair lift or ramp goes in, while renters need the landlord to agree.
If a parent lives in a walk-up apartment or a rented townhouse, talk with the landlord before anything else. Shared stairways in walk-ups add another layer, since they are not part of the unit itself.
With healthcare making up 27.3% of local jobs, many families already have a nurse, aide or therapist who can say whether stairs have become a safety problem.
The median household income in the 2010 Census was $30,629, so cost is a real question for many households. That is why the programs below are worth a phone call before you decide.
None of the programs listed below names stair lifts in its source material, so coverage is not guaranteed. Several do cover home repairs, assistive devices or accessibility changes, and it is fair to ask whether a lift could fall under them.
For older residents, the Pee Dee AAA (Vantage Point) in Hartsville at (843) 383-8632 is a good first call. Veterans can contact Marion County Veterans Affairs at 2523 East Highway 76 in Marion, (843) 423-8255. Statewide options to ask about include the SC Community Choices Waiver (Medicaid HCBS), the South Carolina Assistive Technology Loan Program, VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the South Carolina Homestead Exemption (Property-Tax Relief).
Offers limited home repairs and assistive devices for people 60 and older with limits in at least two Activities of Daily Living, handled case by case through the Pee Dee Area Agency on Aging. Stair lifts are not listed in the source, so ask directly at (800) 868-9095.
Low-interest loans and grants for very low-income rural homeowners below 50% of area median income, with grants limited to homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan. Repairs must address health, safety or sanitation hazards or improve the home; stair lifts are not listed in the source.
Provides up to $126,526 (FY2026 max) for veterans or service members who own or will own the home and have a qualifying service-connected disability, such as loss of use of both lower extremities. Stair lifts are not named in the source; Marion County Veterans Affairs at (843) 423-8255 can help with the application.
Provides up to $25,350 (FY2026 max) when the veteran or a qualifying family member owns the home and the veteran has a qualifying service-connected disability, such as loss of use of both hands. Stair lifts are not named in the source, so confirm with Marion County Veterans Affairs at (843) 423-8255.
Older adults
216 South 2nd Street, Hartsville, 29551
Veterans
2523 East Highway 76, Marion, 29571
Probably not. Many homes in Marion County are mostly single-story, and a lift only helps where there is a flight of stairs, such as in a split-level home, a two-story house or a townhouse.
Yes, possibly. The SC Department on Aging supportive services program serves people 60 and older with limits in at least two daily living activities. Call the Pee Dee AAA (Vantage Point) at (843) 383-8632 or the state line at (800) 868-9095.
Marion County Veterans Affairs is at 2523 East Highway 76 in Marion, phone (843) 423-8255. They can explain the VA Specially Adapted Housing and Special Home Adaptation grants, which cover home changes for qualifying service-connected disabilities.
Only with the landlord's agreement. Owners generally control whether a stair lift or ramp can be installed, so a renter should ask the landlord first.
Marion County qualifies geographically for the USDA Section 504 program. It is meant for very low-income homeowners below 50% of area median income, and grants are limited to homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan.
None of them names stair lifts in its source material. They do cover repairs, devices or accessibility changes, so ask each office whether a lift could qualify in your case.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
