Big Lake has been the Reagan County seat since 1925, and the town itself goes back to 1911, when the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway picked it as a station site. Many homes here date from the early townsite years and the building that followed the 1923 oil boom. Houses from that period often sit on raised entries with several porch steps up to the front door.
Those steps are where many families first notice trouble. A parent who handles the inside of the house fine may struggle with the climb from the yard to the porch, or with the short flights inside a split-level home. This page covers how Reagan County homes match up with stair lift types, and which programs may help with the cost.
Most housing here is single-family homes, detached houses, ranch-style homes and split-level homes. A ranch-style home may keep daily life on one floor, but a raised entry can still put several steps between the driveway and the door. For those porch and entry steps, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift is usually the conversation to have.
Split-level homes are different. They tend to have short flights between levels, and a straight stair lift often fits a single straight run. If a flight turns or has a landing partway, a curved lift built to that staircase is the usual answer.
Before anything is ordered, we measure the stairs, check the width and look at where the rail can mount. That visit tells you which type fits, so you are not guessing from a brochure.
Reagan County covers about 1,175 to 1,176 square miles of the Edwards Plateau, and Census data puts it at 100% rural. Big Lake is the one town, so for most families an installer and medical services are a drive away.
That distance is worth planning around. Ask about service and repair visits up front, and think about whether an outdoor lift on the porch will face West Texas weather year round. Getting the right lift the first time matters more when a return trip is a long one.
Reagan County has a population of 3,092, and 9.8% of residents are 65 or older. Homeownership is high at 76.9%, which matters because owners can usually decide on a permanent installation without asking a landlord.
There is no VA facility listed in the county, but the TVC - VA Claims - San Angelo office at 4825 Grape Creek Rd, San Angelo, TX 76903 can help with claims at (325) 655-9717.
The clearest lead in the sources is STAR+PLUS, the Texas Medicaid waiver, which a consumer guide says can cover a stair lift when it supports safety and independence. It has financial and level-of-care rules and an interest list in some cases.
For veterans, know this before applying: the VA HISA grant does not cover stair glides or porch lifts. The larger VA SAH, SHA and TRA grants do not name stair lifts in the source, so ask the VA directly.
For a local starting point, the Concho Valley AAA office is at 2801 W. Loop 306, Suite A, San Angelo, TX 76904, phone (325) 944-9666. The Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR) is also listed among Texas statewide programs, so it is worth asking about when you call. The full program list is below.
A Texas Medicaid managed-care waiver for residents 65+ or adults 21+ with a qualifying disability who meet financial and nursing-facility level-of-care rules; minor home modifications are approved individually, and a stair lift can qualify. Call (877) 438-5658.
A Medicaid waiver for Texans with a related condition that began before age 22; it lists minor home modifications, but the source does not name stair lifts. Call (877) 438-5658.
Serves adults 60+ in 14 counties including Reagan County with information and referral, care coordination and benefits counseling; it is not a home-modification fund and stair lifts are not listed. Call (325) 223-5704 to ask what in-home help is available.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary structural changes, but it specifically excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
VA grants for veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 for FY2026; the source does not list stair lifts by name. Call (800) 827-1000.
Repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income rural homeowners, with the grant portion for those 62+; the source does not mention stair lifts.
Free energy-efficiency work such as insulation and air sealing for low-income Reagan County households; it does not mention accessibility work or stair lifts. Call (325) 653-2411 to ask about other housing help.
Older adults
2801 W. Loop 306, Suite A, San Angelo, 76904
Veterans
4825 Grape Creek Rd, San Angelo, 76903
Possibly, through STAR+PLUS. A consumer guide says a stair lift can qualify when it supports safety and independence, if the person meets the financial and level-of-care rules. Call (877) 438-5658.
No. The VA HISA page excludes stair glides and porch lifts. The SAH, SHA and TRA grants do not name stair lifts, so ask the VA at (800) 827-1000.
The Section 504 grant portion requires age 62 or older. The loan, up to $40,000 at 1% fixed for 20 years, is described for very-low-income rural homeowners, and Reagan County is fully rural.
Raised entries and multi-step porches usually call for an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift. A measuring visit shows which one fits your steps.
The Concho Valley AAA office in San Angelo is at (325) 944-9666, and the Area Agency on Aging of the Concho Valley is listed at (325) 223-5704. Both serve adults 60+ in Reagan County.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
