McCulloch County sits on the Edwards Plateau, where the Brady Mountains run east to west and the land rolls between 1,350 and 2,000 feet. Brady, the county seat and its one town, sits near the marked geographic center of Texas. Out here, homes tend to be older ranch-style and split-level houses built long before anyone thought about getting up the stairs at 80.
With about 5,215 people spread across the county, the nearest mobility equipment dealer or specialist can be a long drive away. This page walks through which kind of stair lift tends to fit the homes around Brady, and which state, federal and local programs may help pay for one.
The county has 4,220 housing units, and most of them are older single-family and detached houses typical of Central Texas ranching country. Many were not built with a single-level or accessible layout. That is where a stair lift usually comes in.
A ranch-style home often has only a few steps, but they may sit at the front porch or back door. In that case an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift for a wheelchair can make more sense than an indoor unit.
Split-level homes are trickier. Short flights between levels sometimes need two straight lifts, or one curved lift that follows a landing. We measure each run before recommending either one.
A straight stair lift fits a single flight with no turns. It is the simplest to install and usually the quickest to put in.
A curved lift is custom built to the shape of the staircase, so it fits landings and turns. Outdoor lifts are made to handle weather, which matters for porch and entry steps on rural properties.
If the person uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift is the better fit. For walk-up apartments in Brady, the building owner has to approve any installation, so talk to them early.
Be aware that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides, so it will not pay for a stair lift, though it can cover other structural changes.
The VA Specially Adapted Housing grants are for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities, and the source does not mention stair lifts by name. The Veteran Services Officer at 199 Courthouse Square Room 102 in Brady, (325) 597-0733, can help sort out which benefits apply.
The program most clearly tied to stair lifts is the STAR+PLUS Medicaid HCBS waiver. It can put up to $7,500 over a lifetime toward minor home modifications for people who qualify for Medicaid and need nursing-facility level of care.
For low-income homeowners, the USDA Section 504 program and the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program fund accessibility work, but their sources do not name stair lifts, so ask before you count on them. The Concho Valley Area Agency on Aging and the Sunset Center in Brady can point you to whatever is open right now. Details on each program are listed below.
A Texas Medicaid waiver for people 65+ or 21+ with a qualifying disability who meet Medicaid financial and functional rules; it can pay toward a stair lift, with a $7,500 lifetime cap for minor home modifications plus $300 a year for repair and maintenance after that. Call (877) 438-5658.
A VA grant for medically necessary structural changes, up to $6,800 for veterans with a service-connected disability or $2,000 for other eligible veterans. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides are excluded.
VA grants for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities, with FY2026 caps of up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA. The source mentions ramps and door widening but does not list stair lifts.
Rural repair help for very-low-income owner-occupants, with grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62+ and 1% loans up to $40,000 over 20 years; McCulloch County qualifies as rural. Accessibility changes are allowed, but stair lifts are not listed.
One-time grants up to $20,000 for households with a person with a disability and income at or below 80% of area median family income, to make the home more accessible. Stair lifts are not named in the source.
A state housing set-aside for older Texans handed out through local Area Agencies on Aging; per-household amounts and stair lift coverage are not listed. Call the Concho Valley AAA at (325) 223-5704 to ask about current availability.
A referral and care coordination agency for adults 60+ and caregivers in a region that includes McCulloch County; it is not a direct grant and does not list a stair lift program. Call (325) 223-5704, or the Sunset Center in Brady at (325) 597-2946.
A regional information and housing navigation service for older adults and people with disabilities, including McCulloch County; no stair lift funding is listed. Call (855) 937-2372.
The local senior center in Brady helps seniors and families find state, federal and local support services; it does not list stair lift funding itself. Call (325) 597-2946.
A center for independent living in San Angelo offering advocacy, skills training and assistive technology referral; stair lift funding is not listed and McCulloch County is not named as a service area. Call (325) 227-6624 to confirm they serve you.
Older adults
2801 W. Loop 306, Suite A, San Angelo, 76904
Veterans
199 Courthouse Square Room 102, Brady, 76825
It can, through the STAR+PLUS HCBS waiver, when the lift supports safety and independence. There is a $7,500 lifetime cap for minor home modifications. Call (877) 438-5658 to start.
No. HISA excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The Veteran Services Officer in Brady at (325) 597-0733 can help look at other VA options.
STAR+PLUS accepts people 21 and older with a qualifying disability. The Amy Young Barrier Removal Program has no age limit listed and serves households that include a person with a disability.
The Sunset Center at 214 W Lockhart St in Brady, (325) 597-2946, is the local contact point for the Concho Valley Area Agency on Aging.
Many ranch-style homes here need an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift at the entry rather than an indoor unit. We can measure the steps and suggest which one fits.
The Concho Valley AAA at 2801 W. Loop 306, Suite A, San Angelo, TX 76904. You can reach them at (325) 944-9666 or (325) 223-5704.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
