Prince Edward County was founded in 1754, and many of its houses show that age. Around Farmville and Hampden-Sydney, and out along the back roads of the Piedmont, you find multi-story homes built long before anyone planned for first-floor bedrooms or zero-step entries.
That is where a stair lift often makes sense. This page walks through how the county's homes and countryside affect the kind of lift you would need, and which local, state and federal programs may help cover the cost.
The housing here runs from single-family homes and detached houses to townhouses, walk-up apartments and split-level homes. Many older, multi-story houses in and around Farmville were built before modern accessibility features were standard. A straight staircase with no landing is usually the simplest fit for a straight rail.
Older homes often have narrow stairs, turns or landings partway up. Those call for a curved rail built to the exact shape of the staircase. Split-level homes are their own case, since the short runs of steps between levels may each need a separate lift, depending on where the bedroom and bathroom sit.
Farmville's housing leans toward rentals tied to Longwood University and Hampden-Sydney College, and roughly 44% of homes in the town are owner-occupied. If you rent, talk with the owner before any work starts, because a lift attaches to the stair treads.
Some help is open to renters too. The EHARP program serves both homeowners and renters whose home is their primary Virginia residence, and the VA HISA grant can apply to a rented home, though HISA does not pay for stair glides.
Two out of three residents, 66.7%, live in rural areas, spread across 354 square miles drained by the Appomattox River. The land rises to 714 feet at Leigh's Mountain, and plenty of country homes sit up off the ground with porch steps to climb before you even reach the front door.
For those front or porch steps, an outdoor lift or a platform lift may be the better answer than an indoor rail. Keep in mind that home-visit programs, from aging assessments to repair crews, have long distances to cover outside Farmville, so it helps to call early.
Farmville's median age of 24.8 is pulled down by students, so the numbers hide many older, longtime residents living in the surrounding homes.
Household budgets can be tight. Farmville's median household income is $40,966, with a poverty rate of 20.35%, which is why many older residents look first at subsidized programs before paying privately.
None of the programs below names stair lifts outright, so the request usually goes under a broader category such as environmental modifications or accessibility repairs. The CCC Plus Waiver lists environmental modifications up to $5,000 per year, and EHARP offers up to $4,000 per household for accessibility barriers.
Rural homeowners outside Farmville's town limits may qualify for USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants. A good first call is Piedmont Senior Resources at (434) 767-5588, which can point you toward screening and other funding. You can also ask about statewide options such as the Virginia Livable Home Tax Credit (LHTC) and the Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority (ATLFA).
A statewide Medicaid waiver for people who meet nursing-facility level of care, with Environmental Modifications up to $5,000 per calendar year; stair lifts are not named, but that is the category where one would typically be requested. Call (855) 242-8282.
The Area Agency on Aging for adults 60 and older in Prince Edward County, based at 20 Oak Street in Farmville, offering at-home services, meals, transportation, legal help and Medicare counseling. Stair lifts and home modifications are not listed, but staff can refer you to other funding; call (434) 767-5588.
A Virginia program run locally by Project:Homes that pays up to $4,000 per household to remove safety hazards and accessibility barriers for homeowners and renters at or below 80% of Area Median Income. Stair lifts are not named specifically; call (804) 233-2827.
Loans up to $20,000 at 1% interest and grants up to $7,500 for homeowners 62 and older, for very-low-income rural owners whose property is outside incorporated city limits. The source does not mention stair lifts or accessibility modifications specifically.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime, depending on disability status, for medically necessary structural changes like ramps and bathroom work. It does not cover stair lifts or stair glides, which the VA lists as excluded removable equipment.
A grant of up to $126,526 for fiscal year 2026 for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities to build, buy or remodel an accessible home. Stair lifts are not named specifically on the VA page.
Older adults
20 Oak Street, Farmville, 23901
Veterans
519 Leesville Road Suite A, Lynchburg, 24502
Yes. Piedmont Senior Resources Area Agency on Aging serves adults 60 and older in the county. It does not list a stair lift benefit, but it can refer you to programs like CCC Plus screening and EHARP. Call (434) 767-5588.
It can. USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants require the property to be outside incorporated city limits, and Farmville is the county's only incorporated town. Check your exact address on USDA's online eligibility map.
Not through HISA, which lists stair glides as excluded equipment. The SAH grant does not name stair lifts either. The Lynchburg Office at (434) 582-5102 can explain what applies to a specific veteran.
EHARP is open to both homeowners and renters if the home is their primary Virginia residence and household income is at or below 80% of Area Median Income. The landlord should agree before a lift is installed.
The CCC Plus Waiver covers Environmental Modifications up to $5,000 per year but does not name stair lifts. A request needs medical-necessity documentation and approval from the care coordinator. Call (855) 242-8282 to start.
Often, yes, but each short run of steps may need its own lift. An in-home visit lets us measure each staircase and see which levels you actually need to reach every day.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
