Rains County sits between Lake Fork Reservoir to the east and Lake Tawakoni to the west, with Emory, Point and East Tawakoni spread across the land in between. Around Emory's historic square, anchored by the Rains County Courthouse, you'll find older in-town housing. Out toward the lakes, homes are more scattered.
Many people here have lived in the same house for a long time. Per the 2020 Census, 80.5% of the county's housing units were owner-occupied. When the stairs start to feel harder, a stair lift is often how a long-time homeowner stays put instead of moving. This page covers which lift fits which kind of house, what living in a fully rural county means for installation, and where to look for help paying.
The homes we see most here are single-family homes, ranch-style homes, split-level homes and low-rise buildings. Each one calls for a different approach.
A ranch-style home may have no indoor staircase at all. The trouble spots are usually the steps at the front or back door. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather, and a platform lift can work where a seated lift won't.
Split-level homes have short flights between levels, sometimes more than one. A straight lift can cover a single short run. If the stairs turn or several flights connect at a landing, you need a curved lift built to the shape of your staircase. Single-family homes with one straight, uninterrupted staircase are the simplest case, and a straight lift is usually the answer.
Per the 2020 Census, 100.0% of Rains County residents lived in rural areas, and the county has no incorporated urban center. It is the fourth-smallest county in Texas by land area, covering 259 square miles bordered by Hopkins, Wood, Van Zandt and Hunt counties.
Small doesn't mean close, though. Homes are dispersed, so travel times for in-home installation and service technicians run longer than in more urban Texas counties. Plan ahead for the measuring visit and later service calls, and ask any installer how they handle service out your way.
That means many households here may qualify for senior or VA programs, so it's worth checking before you pay out of pocket.
Money matters too. The county's 2024 median household income was $65,413, and the median home value was $241,100. For many long-term homeowners, a stair lift is a comparatively affordable way to age in place, compared with relocating or building a first-floor addition.
No single program here clearly pays for stair lifts. Most Texas Medicaid waivers cover minor home modifications, but their sources don't mention stair lifts by name. You'll need to ask the program directly whether a lift can be included in your plan.
The VA HISA benefit explicitly excludes stair glides. Veterans should still talk with the Rains County Veterans Service Officer at 189 E. North Street in Emory, (903) 473-5055, about other VA options. For seniors and caregivers, the East Texas AAA in Kilgore at (903) 984-8641 is a good first call for benefits counseling.
The Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR) is also listed as a statewide program. The programs below are the ones available to Rains County residents, with what each source does and doesn't say about lifts.
A Medicaid managed care benefit for Texans 65+ or with a qualifying disability who need nursing facility level of care, with a $7,500 lifetime cap on home modifications. Stair lifts are not listed among covered or excluded items, so call (877) 541-7905 and ask about your Individual Service Plan.
A Medicaid waiver for people of any age with a related condition that began before age 22, paying up to $10,000 for minor home modifications during enrollment. The regulation does not name stair lifts; call (877) 438-5658, and expect a waiting list.
A Medicaid waiver with no age limit for people with an intellectual disability or related condition, and it lists minor home modifications as a covered service. Stair lifts are not itemized and no dollar cap is stated; call (855) 937-2372.
A VA benefit with a lifetime maximum of $6,800 or $2,000, depending on disability status, for medically necessary home accessibility changes. The VA source explicitly excludes stair glides, so it will not pay for a stair lift.
VA grants for veterans with qualifying severe disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026. The source gives ramps and widened doorways as examples and does not mention stair lifts.
Repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% over 20 years, plus grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners 62+, in rural areas that likely cover most of the county. Ramps and grab bars are named examples; stair lifts are not listed.
A benefits counseling, care coordination and caregiver support hub for people 60+, caregivers, and Medicare recipients of any age. It is not a stair lift fund and home modifications are not listed, but it can help you sort out options; call (800) 442-8845.
A nonprofit that builds wheelchair ramps free to low-income clients with a documented mobility need, usually through a referral. It does not provide stair lifts; call (214) 558-0339.
A cross-disability organization serving Rains County residents of any age with information, referral, peer support and advocacy. Home modification help is not itemized, so treat it as a referral point; call (936) 544-2811.
A community action agency serving economically disadvantaged households in Rains County through Head Start, utility assistance and rental assistance. Home modifications are not listed; call (903) 756-5596 for general help.
Older adults
3800 Stone Rd., Kilgore, 75662
Veterans
189 E. North Street, Emory, 75440
Possibly, but nothing promises it. STAR+PLUS, CLASS and HCS all cover minor home modifications, yet none of their sources names stair lifts. Ask the program whether a lift can go in your service plan.
No. The VA source explicitly excludes stair glides from HISA. Talk with the Rains County Veterans Service Officer in Emory at (903) 473-5055 about other VA benefits you may qualify for.
Yes. The Area Agency on Aging of East Texas serves Medicare recipients regardless of age. CLASS and HCS have no age limit for people who meet their disability rules, and CRCIL serves people with disabilities of any age.
It can affect timing. Rains County is fully rural, so technicians have longer drives than in urban counties. Plan ahead for the measuring visit and ask how future service calls are handled.
An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift is usually the fit for exterior steps. If a ramp would work instead, the Texas Ramp Project builds ramps for qualifying low-income residents in the Emory region.
Homeowners 62+ with very low income may get a grant up to $10,000, and most of the county is likely in a USDA rural area. Stair lifts aren't named in the repair examples, so confirm with USDA before counting on it.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
