Irion County covers 1,052 square miles of the Edwards Plateau, and almost all of it is rural. Mertzon is the county seat and the only incorporated city, with Barnhart and Sherwood as the unincorporated communities. Most people here live in single-family homes on their own land, many of them ranch-style or split-level houses.
A lot of the older homes in this part of West Texas were built with raised entries and porch or interior steps, not with accessibility in mind. If a parent in Mertzon or out on a ranch is starting to struggle with those steps, a stair lift is one way to keep them in the house they know. This page walks through what fits these homes and where to look for help with the cost.
Split-level homes usually have short flights between levels. When a flight runs straight with no turns, a straight stair lift is the simplest fit and the quickest to install.
Ranch-style and other detached houses often keep most living space on one floor, but the trouble spot is getting in the door. Raised entries and porch steps are common in the ranching-era building stock of West Texas county seats. For those, an outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure, or a platform lift for someone who uses a wheelchair, may make more sense than an indoor unit.
If interior stairs turn a corner or have a landing, a curved stair lift is built to follow that path. It takes more measuring and planning than a straight unit, which is why an in-home look at the stairs matters.
Less than 0.1% of Irion County residents lived in an urban area in the 2020 census. The nearest larger city with medical providers, retail and equipment installers is San Angelo in Tom Green County.
In practice, that means an in-home assessment or installation usually involves a provider traveling in from outside the county. It helps to have stair measurements, photos of the entry steps, and the main user's mobility needs ready before the visit so the trip covers as much as possible.
About 15.1% of Irion County residents are 65 or older, and the county's median age of 45.3 is notably older than the Texas median. Most residents own their homes, so staying put and adapting the house is often a more likely path than moving.
If the person who needs the lift served, VA benefits are worth checking, though not every VA grant covers a stair lift.
No single program in the county pays for stair lifts by name. The best first call for a senior 60 or older is the Concho Valley Area Agency on Aging, which serves Irion County and can point you to current in-home help. Its San Angelo office is at 2801 W. Loop 306, Suite A, and can also be reached at (325) 944-9666.
For someone who meets nursing-facility level of care and Medicaid limits, the STAR+PLUS Home Modifications benefit is worth asking about, but stair lift coverage has to be confirmed with the assigned managed care organization. Statewide, the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR) and the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Waiver are other names to raise when you call.
Veterans should know the VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. The larger VA SAH, SHA and TRA grants fund substantial home adaptation, and a stair lift as part of an approved plan is not confirmed either way. The Veterans Resource and Referral Specialist at Workforce Solutions of Concho Valley, 202 Henry O. Flipper Street, Suite 1100 in San Angelo, can help at (325) 795-4245.
Serves adults 60 and older in Irion County with benefits counseling, care coordination, caregiver support and referrals; stair lifts and home modifications are not listed, so ask about current in-home accessibility help. Call (325) 223-5704.
A Medicaid waiver for Texans 65 and older or with a qualifying disability who meet nursing-facility level of care; its home modifications benefit names grab bars and ramps, and stair lifts are not listed, so confirm with your managed care organization. Call (877) 438-5658.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically necessary structural changes. It does not cover stair lifts; stair glides are explicitly excluded.
VA grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities, with FY2026 limits of up to $126,526 (SAH), $25,350 (SHA), and $50,961 or $9,100 (TRA). Stair lifts are not listed by name, so coverage within an approved adaptation plan is unconfirmed.
A San Angelo nonprofit that serves Irion County residents with a disability of any age through peer support, skills training, advocacy and referrals; no stair lift or home modification fund is listed. Call (325) 227-6624.
A nonprofit that builds free wheelchair ramps for people with a verified medical need and financial hardship, and Irion County is in its San Angelo Region. It does not cover stair lifts. Call (214) 558-0339.
Older adults
2801 W. Loop 306, Suite A, San Angelo, 76904
Veterans
202 Henry O. Flipper Street, Suite 1100, San Angelo, 76903
Most stair lift assessments and installations for Irion County come from providers traveling in from outside the county, usually from the San Angelo area. Having stair measurements and photos ready helps make that visit count.
Raised entries and porch steps are common in older West Texas homes. An outdoor stair lift can handle those steps, and a platform lift is an option if the person uses a wheelchair. A free ramp from the Texas Ramp Project may also be worth considering if you qualify.
Yes. The Concho Valley Area Agency on Aging serves adults 60 and older in Irion County. It does not list a stair lift program, but it is the local starting point for referrals. Call (325) 223-5704 or (325) 944-9666.
The VA HISA grant does not; it explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH, SHA and TRA grants fund larger home adaptations for severe service-connected disabilities, but stair lifts are not listed by name. The veterans specialist at Workforce Solutions of Concho Valley can help at (325) 795-4245.
The STAR+PLUS Home Modifications benefit covers items like grab bars and ramps, and stair lifts are not listed by name. Coverage would need to be confirmed with your managed care organization in the West Texas service area. Call (877) 438-5658.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
