Gray County covers 929 square miles of the Texas Panhandle, with Pampa as the county seat and McLean and Lefors as its other towns. Most of the houses here are older single-story homes, so a lot of families never deal with an indoor staircase at all.
The stairs that do show up tend to be in the county's smaller group of two-story and split-level houses, plus the entry steps and porches that come with almost every home. This page walks through which kind of lift fits those situations, what the spread-out geography means for scheduling, and which programs may help with the cost.
Housing here is mostly single-family homes and detached houses, with some townhouses and low-rise buildings. Because so much of it is single-story, the question often is not the stairs inside but the few steps between the driveway and the front door.
If you live in a two-story or split-level house, a straight stair lift usually handles a single run of steps. A split-level with a landing or a turn in the staircase typically needs a curved lift built to that exact stairway.
For porch and entry steps, an outdoor lift or a platform lift is the usual answer. A ramp can also work there, and some local programs build ramps, which is worth knowing before you choose.
Gray County is rural and spread out. Mobility equipment installers, home modification contractors and program staff are more likely to be based in Amarillo, the nearest metro area.
That can add travel time and lead time for installation, service and repair compared with a city address. If you are in McLean or Lefors, ask about service visits and repair response before you sign anything, and plan ahead rather than waiting until a hospital discharge date is set.
Gray County has a population of 18,033, and 16.7% of residents are 65 or older. About 71.9% of households own their homes, which matters because most funding programs and most permanent installations assume the resident owns the house.
That is a large share, so it helps to know early that the VA's HISA grant does not pay for stair glides, while other VA and regional veteran programs may still be worth a call.
No program on this page lists stair lifts by name as a covered item, and two of them rule stair lifts out. That does not mean help is impossible. It means you should ask each program directly and expect decisions to be made case by case.
For older adults, start with the Panhandle AAA at 415 SW 8th Ave., Amarillo, TX 79101, (806) 372-3381. Veterans can reach the Texas Veterans Commission Amarillo Office at 3835 South Western Street, Amarillo, TX 79109, (806) 468-1885.
Statewide, the STAR+PLUS Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver, the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR), VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Waiver are also names to bring up when you ask about home modifications. The local and regional programs are listed below.
A Texas Medicaid waiver for residents 21 and older who meet financial and nursing-facility level-of-care rules; it covers minor home modifications and adaptive aids, but stair lifts are not listed, so approval depends on your individual service plan. Call (877) 782-6440.
Short-term in-home support for older adults recovering from a hospitalization or health crisis, including residential ramps and health maintenance supplies; stair lifts are not listed. Call (806) 331-2227.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas, which includes Gray County outside Pampa's incorporated core; grants require age 62 or older. Funds can go toward accessibility changes for a household member with a disability, but stair lifts are not named.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 for service-connected disabilities or $2,000 for other eligible disabilities, for medically necessary structural changes. It specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it does not cover a stair lift.
Grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities to buy, build or adapt a home, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026. Stair lifts are not listed by name, so ask whether one can be part of an approved adaptation plan.
An Amarillo-based center for Texas residents with a disability that provides hearing aids, visual aids and mobility services such as ramps. It does not do extensive home modifications, so it does not cover stair lifts. Call (806) 374-1400.
Home updates for veterans and surviving spouses in the top 26 counties of Texas, the Panhandle region that includes Gray County. Stair lifts are not listed, so ask what repairs qualify. Call (806) 372-2531.
A volunteer nonprofit that builds wheelchair ramps at no cost for people with mobility limitations. It builds ramps only and does not list stair lifts. Call (214) 558-0339.
A state-run housing grant that Gray County or the City of Pampa must apply for on residents' behalf; homeowners cannot apply directly. Stair lifts are not listed as an eligible cost. Call (800) 835-5832.
Older adults
415 SW 8th Ave., Amarillo, 79101
Veterans
3835 South Western Street, Amarillo, 79109
Possibly for the outside. Many single-story homes still have entry steps or a porch, and an outdoor lift, platform lift or ramp can handle those. Indoor stair lifts mostly matter in the county's two-story and split-level homes.
The HISA grant does not; it explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH and SHA grants do not list stair lifts by name, so a veteran who qualifies should ask the Texas Veterans Commission Amarillo Office at (806) 468-1885.
The USDA Section 504 grant requires age 62 or older, but the loan side does not list that age rule. The STAR+PLUS HCBS waiver starts at age 21 for people who meet its Medicaid and level-of-care rules.
It can. Installers and program staff are more likely to be based in Amarillo, which can add travel and lead time for installation and repairs. Ask about scheduling and service before you commit.
No. The Panhandle Independent Living Center provides mobility services such as ramps but says it does not do extensive home modifications. Call (806) 374-1400 if a ramp might solve the problem.
For an older adult, the Panhandle AAA at (806) 372-3381 is a good starting point. If the person just left the hospital, ask about the Home Care Options Program at (806) 331-2227.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
