From the Victorian-era town homes of Onancock and Parksley to the older multi-story farmhouses outside Bloxom, Melfa and Temperanceville, Accomack County has many homes where the bedrooms sit at the top of a steep, narrow staircase. Those original stairways are often the main reason a family starts asking about a stair lift.
This page covers the county's 29 towns, including Chincoteague, Accomac, Onley, Wachapreague, Saxis and Tangier. It explains how local homes affect the type of lift you would need, and which state, federal and Eastern Shore programs may help with the cost.
Much of the county's housing is spread across small historic towns like Onancock, Chincoteague, Parksley and Onley. Many older farmhouses and Victorian-era town homes still have their original narrow stairways, and that is the first thing we measure.
A narrow stair can still take a lift. The rail mounts to the treads, not the wall, and a folding seat and footrest leave room for others to pass when the lift is parked. What matters is the clear width, the angle of the stair, and whether there is space at the top and bottom for the seat to swivel.
If the staircase turns at a landing or winds around a corner, as many older stairs do, a curved rail is built to fit that exact stair. A single straight run usually takes a straight rail, which is simpler to install.
In the outlying rural areas, newer single-story ranch and manufactured homes are more common. These houses may have no inside stairs at all, but the porch or entry steps can still be a daily obstacle.
For those steps, an outdoor stair lift or a platform lift is often the better fit. A platform lift also works for someone who uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat. With the Chesapeake Bay to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, ask us about a weather-rated model for any lift that will sit outside.
About 26.4% of county residents are 65 or older, and 69.5% of households own their home. For owners, a lift is a long-term fixture, and several of the programs below require that you own and live in the house.
The county is 90.4% rural, and the nearest VA medical center is in Hampton, across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, so it helps to start the veterans' paperwork early. The Accomac Benefits Office at 23365 Front Street, Suite B, Accomac, can be reached at (757) 787-5862.
The 2020 Census counted 21,703 housing units in the county with a 34.1% vacancy rate, much of it seasonal and vacation homes along the coast. If a parent splits time between homes, or you are getting a family house ready for a return, plan the lift around the house where the stairs get daily use.
Because the county covers a wide area with a lot of water, scheduling a site visit ahead of time lets us measure the stair, check power near the bottom landing, and confirm the rail type before anything is ordered.
Local incomes in Accomack County are lower than in much of Virginia, so many families look at Medicaid waiver and subsidized home-repair programs before paying privately. Most of the programs below do not name stair lifts directly, so call and ask whether a lift can be reviewed for your situation.
For veterans, the HISA grant excludes stair glides, but a stair lift may come through VA Prosthetics as a physician-prescribed medical device. Statewide, you can also ask about the Virginia Livable Home Tax Credit (LHTC) and the Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority (ATLFA).
A good first call for anyone 60 or older is the Eastern Shore AAA-Community Action Agency (PSA 22) at 5432 Bayside Road, Exmore, (757) 442-9652. They can point you toward the programs that fit your household.
Pays up to $5,000 per person per calendar year for home modifications for Medicaid-eligible adults who would otherwise need nursing-facility care. Stair lifts are not named as covered or excluded, so a case manager would need to review medical necessity; screening starts with your local Department of Social Services, or call (833) 522-5582.
Provides up to $6,800 or $2,000 over a lifetime, depending on disability rating, for medically necessary home alterations, but stair glides are specifically excluded. Accomack County veterans are served through Hampton VA Medical Center's Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service at (757) 722-9961, where a prescribed stair lift may be handled instead.
Grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026 to adapt a home for veterans who own a home and have certain severe service-connected disabilities. Stair lifts are not named in the program description; call (800) 827-1000 to ask.
Offers repair loans up to $40,000 and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas, with grants limited to owners age 62 or older. Accessibility items like ramps are covered but stair lifts are not named, and rural eligibility for your address should be checked on the USDA eligibility site.
A state program offering up to $4,000 for accessibility modifications to households at or below 80% of area median income, first-come, first-served, for owners and tenants with owner approval. Stair lifts are not named; contact Jennifer Bissett at DHCD, (804) 371-7000.
A volunteer-driven program that handles critical repairs and accessibility improvements for homeowners in Accomack and Northampton counties. Stair lifts are not named; call (757) 709-5468 or ask for a referral through the Area Agency on Aging.
Offers advocacy, information and referral for people with disabilities of any age in Accomack and Northampton counties, rather than direct grants. It does not list a stair lift program, so call (757) 414-0100 to ask about current referral options.
Provides care coordination, information and referral for people 60 and older in Accomack and Northampton counties. It does not list its own stair lift grant, but it can connect you with programs; call (757) 442-9652.
Older adults
5432 Bayside Road, Exmore, 23350
Veterans
23365 Front Street, Suite B, Accomac, 23301
Often, yes. Many Victorian-era town homes and older farmhouses in the county have original narrow stairways, and the rail mounts to the treads with a folding seat. We measure the width, angle and landings at a home visit to confirm the fit and whether you need a straight or curved rail.
The CCC Plus Medicaid Waiver covers environmental modifications up to $5,000 per calendar year. Stair lifts are not named as covered or excluded, so a waiver case manager decides based on medical need. Screening is requested through your local Department of Social Services, or call (833) 522-5582.
No. HISA specifically excludes stair glides. A stair lift may instead come through VA Prosthetics as a physician-prescribed device; Accomack County veterans are served by Hampton VA Medical Center's Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service at (757) 722-9961. The Accomac Benefits Office at (757) 787-5862 can also help.
The Area Agency on Aging's care coordination is for people 60 and older, but ESCIL serves people with disabilities of any age in Accomack and Northampton counties at (757) 414-0100. EHARP is based on income, not age, and the CCC Plus waiver includes adults with physical disabilities.
Call the Eastern Shore AAA-Community Action Agency (PSA 22) in Exmore at (757) 442-9652. Their care coordination serves residents 60 and older and can refer you to programs like the ESVA Housing Mission, which works with referrals from the Area Agency on Aging.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
