From the older mill-town houses in Pickens and Easley to newer construction around Lake Keowee and Lake Jocassee, a lot of Pickens County homes are built on a slope. That usually means a split-level layout, a raised first floor, or a second story with the bedrooms upstairs.
Those stairs are easy to ignore until they aren't. This page walks through how the homes and hills in Easley, Clemson, Central, Liberty, Six Mile, Dacusville and the rest of the county's 11 towns shape the kind of stair lift that fits, and where local families can look for help paying for one.
Development here has followed the sloped terrain around Table Rock, Lake Keowee and Lake Jocassee. Many houses end up with entry stairs, interior stairs, or both, and split-level homes often have short runs of steps between each level.
A straight staircase with no landing is the simplest job. It takes a straight rail that runs from the bottom step to the top, and it can usually be installed without changing the stairs themselves.
Split-level and multi-story homes are where things change. If the stairs turn, have a landing, or connect several short flights, a curved rail is built to follow that exact path, so we measure every step before quoting it.
Pickens County sits in the Blue Ridge foothills and is home to Sassafras Mountain, the highest natural point in South Carolina at 3,560 feet. Roughly 37.6% of residents live in rural areas, where steep, winding roads and longer drives to services are part of daily life.
On a sloped lot, the hardest stairs are often outside: the steps from the driveway up to the porch or front door. An outdoor stair lift is built with weather-resistant parts and a cover for those runs.
When someone uses a wheelchair or can't safely transfer to a seat, a platform lift may make more sense than a chair. We look at the slope, the steps and how the person gets around before recommending one.
Townhouses and walk-up apartments in towns like Clemson and Central usually have a single interior staircase, often straight. In a rental or a unit with shared stairs, the owner or association needs to approve any installation first.
Ranch-style homes may have everything on one floor but still need a few steps at the entry or down to a basement. A short straight rail or an outdoor lift can cover those spots.
About 16.3% of Pickens County residents are 65 or older, and many want to stay in the homes they already own. None of the programs listed below names stair lifts directly in its published materials, so a phone call is the way to find out what applies to your situation.
The South Carolina Assistive Technology Loan Program offers low-interest loans of up to $30,000 for South Carolina residents with a documented disability, and its home modifications category is the one to ask about. For adults 60 and older, the Appalachian AAA in Greenville handles information and referral for Pickens County at (864) 242-9733.
Able South Carolina runs an Assistive Technology program through its Greenville office at (864) 235-1421. Statewide, families can also ask about the SC Community Choices Waiver (Medicaid HCBS) and the South Carolina Homestead Exemption (Property-Tax Relief).
Pickens County Veterans Affairs is at 222 McDaniel Avenue, B-13, in Pickens, and the phone is (864) 898-5926.
The VA HISA grant pays for things like permanent ramps and entrance improvements, but it lists stair glides as excluded. A stair lift would instead need to come through VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service on a clinician's prescription, so ask the county office or your VA care team how to start that request.
A statewide low-interest loan of up to $30,000 for South Carolina residents with a documented disability, approved on ability to repay rather than a strict income limit. Stair lifts are not named, but home modifications are a financed category, so call (803) 726-7143 to confirm.
A VA grant for structural changes to a veteran's primary home, with a lifetime maximum of $6,800 or $2,000 depending on disability status. It does not cover stair lifts; the source lists stair glides as excluded items.
A grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities, usable up to 6 times. The source describes projects like ramps and widened doorways but does not mention stair lifts.
A grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026 maximum) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities such as loss of use of both hands. Stair lifts are not itemized among its example modifications.
The Area Agency on Aging for Pickens County and five neighboring counties, serving adults 60 and older and their caregivers with information, referral and caregiver support. Home modifications are not listed, so call (864) 242-9733 to ask about referrals.
A federally funded Center for Independent Living serving people with disabilities in 23 counties, including Pickens, through its Greenville office. Stair lifts and home modifications are not specifically listed; call (864) 235-1421 to ask.
Older adults
30 Century Circle, Greenville, 29607
Veterans
222 McDaniel Avenue, B-13, Pickens, 29671
Often, yes. If each flight is straight, a straight rail may work; if the stairs turn or connect through landings, a curved rail is built to follow them. We measure the stairs before recommending either.
Yes. Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps, which are common on the sloped lots around the lakes and in the foothills. A platform lift is another option if a seat isn't practical.
The Appalachian AAA serves adults 60 and older and caregivers in Pickens County. Call (864) 242-9733 for information and referral.
Not through the HISA grant, which excludes stair glides. A stair lift would need to come through VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service with a clinician's prescription. Pickens County Veterans Affairs at (864) 898-5926 can help with next steps.
The South Carolina Assistive Technology Loan Program offers low-interest loans of up to $30,000 to residents with a documented disability, and family members can apply on their behalf. Call (803) 726-7143 to confirm a stair lift fits its home modifications category.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
