Somervell County is a small, rural place with one town, Glen Rose, which is also the county seat. Most people here live in single-family homes, ranch-style and split-level houses, and manufactured homes, spread across the hilly ground of the Edwards Plateau.
That hilly ground matters when someone starts having trouble with steps. A house can be all on one floor and still have a steep walk, a raised porch or a few entry steps that get harder every year. This page walks through what kind of lift fits the homes around Glen Rose and where local families can ask about help paying for one.
According to county figures, Somervell County had 9,205 residents in 2020, with a 2025 estimate of 10,261. The median age was 43.3, and 20.5% of residents were 65 or older.
Most homes are owned by the people living in them. The 2020 census counted 3,928 housing units, and 77.9% were owner-occupied. That matters because an owner can usually approve a lift installation without waiting on a landlord.
Ranch-style homes often have no indoor staircase at all, so the trouble spot is usually the front or back entry. For a short set of porch or garage steps, an outdoor stair lift or a small vertical platform lift is often the better fit than anything inside.
Split-level homes are different. They tend to have short flights between levels, sometimes with a turn or a landing. A straight stair lift works on a flight with no turns, while a run that changes direction usually needs a curved rail built to that staircase.
Manufactured homes usually sit up off the ground, so getting in and out means climbing entry steps. Before we recommend anything, we look at how those steps and the landing are built and what they can support, since an outdoor lift or platform has to be anchored to something solid.
The county sits on the Edwards Plateau, and the hills and elevation changes can make exterior ramps, walkways and stair access harder to plan. A ramp that meets a safe slope can end up very long on a sloped lot.
Where a ramp would take up the whole yard, an outdoor stair lift that follows the existing steps, or a platform lift that rises straight up, can take much less space. We measure the rise, the slope of the ground and the path to the driveway before suggesting either one.
None of the local programs listed below names stair lifts as a covered item, so it is worth calling before counting on any of them. Still, they are the right places to ask about current referrals and help in the home.
Start with the Somervell County Committee on Aging in Glen Rose at (254) 897-2139 or the North Central Texas Area Agency on Aging at (800) 272-3921. Veterans can reach the Hood/Somervell County Veterans' Service Office in Granbury at (817) 579-3292 to talk about VA housing grants.
Texas also has statewide programs that families sometimes ask about, including the STAR+PLUS Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver, the Amy Young Barrier Removal Program (AYBR), VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Waiver. Ask the agencies above whether any of these apply to your situation.
Because this is a small rural county, specialized medical and home-modification services often mean traveling outside the county. A phone call first can save a trip.
A regional agency serving 14 counties, including Somervell, that offers information and referral, caregiver support and in-home services to people 60 and older and eligible caregivers. Its published materials do not list stair lifts or home modifications, so call (800) 272-3921 to ask about current referrals for home-accessibility help.
The county senior center in Glen Rose provides Meals-on-Wheels, fellowship lunches and rides to medical appointments and grocery shopping for residents 60 and older and their spouses. It does not list a stair lift or home-modification program, but staff at (254) 897-2139 may know of local repair help.
Federal grants for veterans and service members with qualifying service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and up to $25,350 for SHA as published for FY2026. The VA names ramps and widened doorways as examples but does not name stair lifts, so confirm with a VA Prosthetics/HISA representative or the Hood/Somervell County Veterans' Service Office at (817) 579-3292.
Older adults
616 Six Flags Drive, Arlington, 76011
Veterans
100 E Pearl Street, Granbury, 76048
Most local aging services are for people 60 and older. The North Central Texas Area Agency on Aging also serves some caregivers, including those 55 and older caring for a relative with a disability. The Committee on Aging lunch has a suggested donation of $5.00 for those under 60 and $3.50 for those 60 and older.
The VA's SAH and SHA grant pages name ramps and widened doorways but do not name stair lifts. Before applying, ask a VA Prosthetics/HISA representative whether a specific lift qualifies. The Hood/Somervell County Veterans' Service Office in Granbury can help at (817) 579-3292.
Yes, if the problem is getting in and out. Many ranch-style homes on hilly lots have porch or garage steps, and an outdoor stair lift or platform lift can cover those.
The Somervell County Committee on Aging serves county residents age 60 and older and their spouses. Call (254) 897-2139 to ask what is available.
The North Central Texas AAA office is at 616 Six Flags Drive, Arlington, 76011, and can be reached at (817) 695-9240. Its main line is (800) 272-3921.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
