Montague County covers 938 square miles along the Red River and the Oklahoma border, with about 11,009 people spread across Bowie, Nocona, St. Jo, Nocona Hills, Sunset and the county seat of Montague. Most residents, 72.9% at the 2020 census, live in rural areas, and the county averages only 21.4 people per square mile.
That spread-out pattern shapes how a stair lift project goes here. Many older homes in these towns have stepped entries or multi-level layouts, and installers, medical providers and home-modification contractors are often a longer drive away than in urban Texas. This page walks through which kind of lift tends to fit local homes and where to look for help paying for one.
Housing in Montague County is mostly owner-occupied single-family and detached houses, with manufactured homes, split-level homes and some walk-up apartments in the mix. A lot of the older stock in towns like Bowie dates to mid-20th-century small-town construction, where steps at the front door and floors at different levels are common.
A straight staircase with no landings is the simplest case and usually calls for a straight stair lift. Split-level homes often have short runs between levels, sometimes with a turn, which can mean a curved lift or more than one straight unit. We measure every run before recommending anything.
Many people in rural North Texas can manage inside the house but struggle with the steps from the yard to the door. Stepped entries on older houses and the raised entry steps on manufactured homes are where an outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift often makes more sense than an indoor unit.
Outdoor lifts are built to handle weather, and a platform lift can carry a wheelchair user. Which one fits depends on how many steps there are, how much level ground sits at the top and bottom, and whether the person walks or uses a chair.
About 19.2% of Montague County residents are 65 or older, and in Bowie, the largest city with 5,448 people in 2020, that share is 20.2%. Around 71.0% of residents own their homes, which matters because a homeowner can install a permanent lift without a landlord's approval.
If that includes someone in your family, the county Veteran's Service Office in Montague at (940) 894-6171 is a good first call to sort out which VA benefits apply.
Cost is a real question here. Bowie's median household income was $33,846 as of the 2010 census, well below state and national medians, so many senior homeowners will look at grants, loans or Medicaid before paying out of pocket.
The clearest route to stair lift coverage is the STAR+PLUS Home and Community-Based Services program through Texas Medicaid, which can pay toward a stair lift when it helps a person stay home instead of entering a nursing facility. USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants may help some rural homeowners, and VA programs vary, with the HISA grant specifically excluding stair glides.
Statewide, Texas also has the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR) and the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Waiver. For local guidance, the North Texas AAA at 4309 Jacksboro Highway, Wichita Falls, TX 76302 can be reached at (940) 322-5281. You can also dial 2-1-1 or the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.
Texas Medicaid can pay toward a stair lift through STAR+PLUS HCBS for residents 65 and older, or adults with a qualifying disability, who need a nursing-facility level of care but want to stay home; income and asset limits apply, and a doctor's letter of medical necessity is required. Call (877) 438-5658 or apply through YourTexasBenefits.com.
Serves adults 60 and older and their caregivers in Montague County with information and referral, benefits counseling, care coordination and caregiver support; the source does not list stair lifts or home modifications. Call (940) 322-5281 as a local starting point.
Offers very-low-income rural homeowners loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest over 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 lifetime for homeowners 62 and older who cannot repay a loan. The source does not mention stair lifts by name.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically necessary structural changes to a veteran's home. It does not cover stair lifts; the VA excludes porch lifts and stair glides.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) lifetime for FY2026 for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities who own their home. The source does not list stair lifts specifically.
A nonprofit that serves Montague County residents of any age with a disability through peer support, skills training, referral and advocacy; no stair lift or home-modification fund is listed. Call (512) 832-6349.
Older adults
4309 Jacksboro Highway, Wichita Falls, 76302
Veterans
P.O. Box 103, Montague, 76251
It can, through the STAR+PLUS Home and Community-Based Services program, when the lift supports safety and helps the person stay home instead of entering a nursing facility. You need to qualify for Medicaid and STAR+PLUS, join the interest list for minor home modifications, and have a doctor's letter of medical necessity. The phone number is (877) 438-5658.
No. HISA excludes removable equipment such as porch lifts and stair glides. The Veteran's Service Office in Montague at (940) 894-6171 can help you check other VA benefits.
The Area Agency on Aging serves people 60 and older, but STAR+PLUS also covers adults with a qualifying disability, and ARCIL serves Montague County residents with a disability of any age at (512) 832-6349.
Yes. Stepped entries are common in older homes here, and an outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can handle the climb from the yard to the door. The right choice depends on the number of steps, the space at each end and whether a wheelchair is involved.
The Section 504 program offers 1% loans up to $40,000 and, for very-low-income homeowners 62 and older, grants up to $10,000 to remove health and safety hazards. Montague County is rural, but the source does not mention stair lifts by name, so ask before counting on it.
The North Texas AAA in Wichita Falls at (940) 322-5281 serves Montague County seniors and caregivers. You can also dial 2-1-1 for referrals.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
