From Rutland City and Proctor to Poultney, Brandon and Fair Haven, a lot of the houses in Rutland County went up during the marble-industry era. Rutland City's Proctor-Clement House, an 1867 Italianate home at 85 Field Ave. on the National Register of Historic Places, is one well-known example of that period. Homes of that vintage often have steep interior staircases and narrow doorways that were never planned around a walker or a wheelchair.
That matters for the 23.9% of county residents who are 65 or older, and for their families. A stair lift can let someone keep using the upstairs bedroom and bath in a house they have owned for decades. This page walks through how local homes and terrain affect the kind of lift you need, and which programs may help with the cost.
A straight staircase with no turns or landings is the simplest case. The rail runs along one side, and the job is usually quick. Many older homes here do have straight runs, but steep ones, so we check the angle and the width of each step before recommending a model.
Stairs that turn, wrap around a landing, or curve call for a curved lift with a rail built to that staircase. Older houses with tight, winding back stairs often fall into this group. Narrow stairways also matter, because the folded seat and rail need to leave room for anyone else using the stairs.
Rutland County housing is not only 19th-century homes. There are single-family and detached houses of every age, plus townhouses, split-level homes and walk-up apartments. A split-level often has two short flights, which can mean two separate straight lifts or one curved rail, depending on the layout.
In a walk-up apartment, the stairs may be shared, so the building owner usually needs to agree before anything is installed. Townhouses tend to have one long straight flight, which is often a good fit for a standard straight lift. If a wheelchair user cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may be the better choice.
The county sits between the Taconic Mountains to the west and the Green Mountains, including Green Mountain National Forest, to the east, with Otter Creek running north to south through the middle. Homes on hillsides often have porch or entry steps that are as much of a problem as the inside stairs. Outdoor lifts are built for weather and can handle entry steps where a ramp would not fit.
Most of the county is rural. For a homebound parent in a town like Mount Holly, Danby or Pittsfield, transportation and contractor scheduling can take more planning than it would in Rutland City. It helps to start the measuring and paperwork early, especially if you are also applying for a funding program.
Median household income in the county was $68,616 as of 2024, and the poverty rate was 11.8%, so many families weigh paying out of pocket against seeking help. Be aware that most programs listed below do not name stair lifts as a covered item. Only the VA Specially Adapted Housing grant does.
A good first call is the Southwestern Vermont Council on Aging at (802) 786-5990. They screen people for Choices for Care and can refer you to other sources such as USDA Section 504 and the VCIL Home Access Program. You can also ask about the Vermont Independence Fund (Assistive Technology Loan), one of the statewide programs available to Vermonters.
If that includes someone in your family, the VA grants below are worth checking, and Vermont Veterans Outreach can be reached at (802) 338-4323.
A Vermont Medicaid program for residents 65 and older, or 18 and older with a physical disability, who meet a nursing facility level of care; it lists home modifications such as ramps, grab bars and widening of doorways, but stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 479-6151, and screening runs through SVCOA for Rutland County.
The Area Agency on Aging for Rutland and Bennington counties offers case management, options counseling and referrals to funding sources; it is not a direct funder and does not list stair lift grants. Call the Rutland office at (802) 786-5990 or visit 143 Maple St., Rutland.
A grant for low-income Vermonters with a permanent physical disability that covers home entry and bathroom accessibility modifications; stair lifts are not named as a covered item. Call (802) 224-1807.
Very-low-income rural homeowners may get loans up to $20,000 at 1% interest, and homeowners 62 and older may get grants up to $7,500, to remove a health or safety hazard. Stair lifts are not mentioned by name, so confirm current details with the local USDA Rural Development VT/NH office.
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. The VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts, so it does not cover a stair lift; call (802) 295-9363.
For veterans with specific severe service-connected disabilities, this grant provides up to $126,526 lifetime and can be used for equipment including stair lifts. Call (802) 295-9363.
Provides up to $25,350 lifetime to adapt a home for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, such as loss of use of both hands; stair lifts are not named among covered adaptations. Call (802) 295-9363.
Older adults
143 Maple St., Rutland, 05701
Veterans
789 Vermont National Guard Road, Colchester, 05446
Choices for Care lists home modifications like ramps, grab bars and widening doorways, and it does not name stair lifts. Funding is set through an individualized plan with a case manager, so ask SVCOA at (802) 786-5990 or call (800) 479-6151.
Yes, possibly. Choices for Care accepts adults 18 and older with a physical disability who meet a nursing facility level of care, and the VCIL Home Access Program is based on disability and income rather than age.
It depends on the grant. The HISA grant excludes stair glides, while the Specially Adapted Housing grant can be used for stair lifts for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities. Call (802) 295-9363 to ask about eligibility.
Brandon directs residents to the statewide VCIL Home Access Program rather than a separate town fund. You can reach VCIL at (802) 224-1807.
Often, yes. Many homes from the marble-industry era have steep, narrow stairs, so we measure the angle, width and any turns first to decide between a straight lift, a curved lift or another option.
Start with the Southwestern VT Council on Aging at (802) 786-5990, or the statewide HelpLine at 1-800-642-5119. They can screen for programs and point you to the right funding source.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
