From Chatham and Gretna to Hurt, Blairs, Motley and Mount Hermon, Pittsylvania County covers a lot of ground. It is the largest county in Virginia by land area, with 969 square miles of land, and 89.1% of residents live in rural areas. Homes here range from farmhouses and mid-century houses built in the tobacco-economy era to newer single-story ranch construction around Chatham and Gretna.
That mix matters when a stair becomes hard to climb. A short run in a split-level home calls for a different lift than a long staircase in an older farmhouse. This page walks through what fits the homes around here and which programs may help cover the cost.
Most homes in the county are single-family, detached houses, with plenty of ranch-style and split-level homes in the mix. A straight staircase with no landings or turns usually takes a straight stair lift, the simplest and quickest kind to install.
Split-level homes often have more than one short flight. Each flight may need its own straight lift, or a single curved lift if the stairs connect around a turn. We measure every flight before suggesting either option.
Older farmhouses from the tobacco-economy era can have stairs that turn or change direction partway up. Those usually need a curved lift built to the shape of the staircase, which takes longer to make than a straight one.
In a ranch-style home, the stairs that cause trouble are often outside, at the front porch or back door. An outdoor stair lift or a platform lift can handle those steps for someone who still walks but struggles with the climb.
A platform lift is the choice when a wheelchair has to come along. Lifts made for outdoor use are built to handle the weather, which matters on porches that face the open country around the Dan, Banister and Staunton rivers.
With about 62 people per square mile, homes here can sit a long drive from town. That distance affects how far contractors and agency staff travel for home visits, so it helps to schedule assessments early.
About 27.9% of residents are 65 or older, and the county's median age is 48.1. Roughly 72.9% of households own their homes, so many people here are deciding whether to stay put and adapt the house they already have.
If that includes someone in your family, read the VA section below carefully, because the most common VA home grant does not pay for stair lifts.
Median household income in the county is $54,085, and the poverty rate is 14.6%. For many families, grants and waiver programs end up doing more of the work than private pay.
The one program on this page that confirms stair lifts is the Virginia Housing Accessibility Grant, which pays up to $10,000 per household and does not need to be repaid. Income must be at or below 60% of area median income, and you apply through a Virginia Housing accepted local agent, not Virginia Housing itself.
Other routes include the CCC Plus Waiver for people who qualify for Medicaid, USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants for rural homeowners, and the Habitat for Humanity Aging in Place Program. 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 is the Southern Area Agency on Aging (PSA 12) at (276) 632-6442, at 204 Cleveland Avenue in Martinsville. It serves Pittsylvania County and is the intake point for Habitat Aging in Place referrals.
The VA Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) Grant explicitly excludes stair glides, porch lifts and other removable equipment. It pays for permanent changes such as ramps, roll-in showers and widened doorways.
Veterans can still ask about other VA benefits, including prosthetics. The Virginia Department of Veterans Services Danville Office, at 441 Piney Forest Road Suite B in Danville, can be reached at (434) 836-8447.
Virginia's main Medicaid home and community waiver covers Environmental Modifications and Assistive Technology, but the state page does not mention stair lifts by name. Applicants must be 65+ or have a qualifying disability, meet nursing facility level of care, and meet Medicaid limits ($2,982/month income for a single applicant in 2026, $2,000 in assets); call (833) 522-5582.
A one-time grant of up to $10,000 per household that lists installing ramps and chairlifts as eligible work, for homeowners or tenants with disabilities at or below 60% of area median income. You apply through an accepted local agent; call (877) 843-2123 to find one.
Pays up to $6,800 or $2,000 over a lifetime for medically necessary permanent home changes, but it does not cover stair lifts, stair glides or porch lifts. Call (800) 698-2411.
Offers very-low-income rural homeowners loans up to $20,000 at 1% over 20 years, and grants up to $7,500 for owners age 62+, to remove health and safety hazards; stair lifts are not mentioned in the source. Most of unincorporated Pittsylvania County qualifies as rural; call (800) 414-1226.
Safety-focused home repairs for homeowners 65 or older who live full-time in their home in Danville or Pittsylvania County with income below 60% of area median income. The listing does not name stair lifts; call (434) 793-3630.
Provides information, referral, transportation, meals and personal care for older adults in Pittsylvania County and nearby areas, and handles referrals to the Habitat Aging in Place Program. It does not list a stair lift grant; call (800) 468-4571.
A center for independent living at 816B West Main St. in Danville serving people with disabilities in the Danville and Pittsylvania County area. Its listing does not mention stair lift funding, so call (434) 797-2576 to ask about current offerings.
Helps renters with disabilities in Danville and Pittsylvania County get home modifications through a Virginia Housing Development Authority grant; stair lifts are not named in the source. Call (540) 420-1484.
Older adults
204 Cleveland Avenue, Martinsville, 24112
Veterans
441 Piney Forest Road Suite B, Danville, 24540
The Virginia Housing Accessibility Grants confirm chairlifts as eligible, with up to $10,000 per household for those at or below 60% of area median income. The other local programs either do not mention stair lifts or, in the case of the VA HISA grant, exclude them.
No. HISA explicitly excludes stair glides and porch lifts. It can pay for permanent changes like ramps or widened doorways, and the Virginia Department of Veterans Services Danville Office at (434) 836-8447 can talk through other VA benefits.
Yes, tenants with disabilities can look at the Rental Unit Accessibility Modification grant through Virginia Housing. The Disability Rights and Resource Center at (540) 420-1484 helps renters in Pittsylvania County access that grant.
The CCC Plus Waiver accepts people younger than 65 who have a qualifying disability and meet its care and income rules. The USDA Section 504 grant starts at age 62, and its loans have no age requirement listed for very-low-income rural homeowners.
Often yes, if the flights are separate straight runs. If they connect around a turn, one curved lift may work instead, so each flight should be measured before choosing.
Call the Southern Area Agency on Aging (PSA 12) at (276) 632-6442 in Martinsville. It serves Pittsylvania County and can refer you to programs like the Habitat for Humanity Aging in Place Program.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
