Spartanburg County covers roughly 820 square miles of Upstate Piedmont, with 34 towns that run from Landrum and Campobello near the northern border down to Woodruff and Enoree in the south. Many homes here climb with the land. A bungalow in Spartanburg, a mill house in Converse or Clifton, and a split-level in Boiling Springs can each have steps in places a newer flat-lot house never would.
This page walks through what those homes mean for a stair lift. It covers which kind of lift usually fits, where the trickier installs tend to be, and which local and state programs are worth a phone call before you spend your own money.
The county's housing goes back to 18th- and 19th-century construction. The Price House is three stories of Flemish-bond brick, and Hampton Heights has Queen Anne and Neoclassical homes next to early-20th-century bungalows. Houses from those eras often have long interior staircases, and some have turns or landings partway up.
A straight run of stairs usually takes a straight stair lift, which is the simplest install. Stairs that turn or curve need a curved lift with a rail built to that staircase. In older homes we also look at stair width and the space at the top and bottom, since the chair needs room for someone to sit and stand safely.
Early-20th-century textile mill-village housing is still common here, including the Beaumont Mill historic district. These homes often sit up off the ground with several steps to the front or back door. Hilly lots shaped by the Tyger, Pacolet, and Enoree River systems and creeks like Lawson's Fork Creek add more steps outside.
For entry steps, an outdoor stair lift built for weather is one option. Where someone uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat. The right choice depends on how many steps there are, the slope of the yard, and how the person gets around day to day.
As the county grew, newer single-story and two-story subdivisions went up, along with split-level homes and townhouses. A split-level has short flights between floors, so the question is which flight the person uses most. Sometimes one short straight lift solves the daily problem.
Two-story homes in newer neighborhoods usually have straight staircases, which keeps the job simpler. Walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings are a different case, since shared stairways generally need building owner approval before anything is installed.
Many long-time residents are choosing to stay in the homes they already own instead of moving to a single-floor place.
If a parent has stopped going upstairs, or only uses the front door with help, that is usually the point to measure the stairs. Seeing the staircase in person tells us more than any description over the phone.
None of the local programs below names stair lifts outright, so treat every one as a phone call to ask, not a promise. The best first call for most people 60 and older is the Appalachian AAA at (864) 242-9733, which handles the Older Americans Act home repair and assistive device help for Spartanburg County.
Veterans can reach the county Veterans' Affairs office at 610 Chesnee Hwy, Beaumont Plaza, Spartanburg 29303, phone (864) 598-7089. Statewide options also worth asking about include the SC Community Choices Waiver (Medicaid HCBS), the South Carolina Assistive Technology Loan Program, the SC Housing Trust Fund, Home Repair Program, VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics), and the South Carolina Homestead Exemption (Property-Tax Relief).
The regional Area Agency on Aging for Spartanburg County, serving older adults (typically 60+), caregivers and adults with disabilities; its listed services do not mention stair lifts or home modifications. Call (864) 242-9733 to ask what home repair or assistive device help is currently available.
Covers limited home repairs for safety and accessibility plus assistive devices for people 60 or older with limits in at least two Activities of Daily Living, decided case by case through ACOG; stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 868-9095.
Federal grants for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, with FY2026 caps of up to $126,526 for SAH and up to $25,350 for SHA; the VA lists ramps and wider doorways but does not list stair lifts. Call the general VA line at (877) 222-8387.
Exterior repairs such as roofing, siding, gutters, ramps and railings, with the homeowner paying about 10% of the cost and a 3-6 month wait; stair lifts are not listed as covered. Call (864) 591-2221 to ask whether interior mobility work is ever supported.
Older adults
30 Century Circle, Greenville, 29607
Veterans
610 Chesnee Hwy, Beaumont Plaza, Spartanburg, 29303
Yes, the Older Americans Act supportive services program covers limited home repairs and assistive devices for people 60 or older with limits in at least two Activities of Daily Living. You apply through the Appalachian AAA at (864) 242-9733, and they decide each case individually.
None of the programs we know of names stair lifts in its published description. That does not rule them out, so call and ask about your specific situation before buying.
Its Critical Home Repair Program focuses on exterior work like ramps and railings, and interior work such as stair lifts is not listed. You can call (864) 591-2221 to confirm.
Start with the county Veterans' Affairs office at 610 Chesnee Hwy, Beaumont Plaza, Spartanburg, phone (864) 598-7089. VA housing grants exist for qualifying service-connected disabilities, but stair lift coverage is not confirmed.
Outdoor stair lifts are made for exterior steps, and a platform lift is another option for someone who uses a wheelchair. We would look at the number of steps and the slope of the lot before recommending one.
Not always. Many split-level owners only struggle with one of the short flights, and a single straight lift on that flight can handle the daily need.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
