Roanoke County covers about 251 square miles along the Blue Ridge Mountains, with communities like Cave Spring, Hollins, Vinton and Glenvar spread across hilly foothill land. When McAfee Knob and Dragon's Tooth sit in your backyard view, level ground is not a given. Many houses here were built on sloped lots, and that shapes how people get in, out and around them.
A good share of the county's older homes are two-story or split-level, which means stairs inside and often steps outside too. This page explains which kind of stair lift tends to fit the homes we see around the county, and which Virginia and federal programs may help with the cost.
Building on a slope usually adds stairs. A house set into a hillside may have a full flight between floors, a few steps at the front door, and another set down to a garage or lower level.
For an older homeowner, each of those can become a barrier. The first thing we do in a Roanoke County home is count every set of steps someone uses on a normal day, not just the main staircase.
A two-story house with one straight staircase is the simplest case. A straight stair lift runs on a rail fixed to the stair treads, so the wall stays untouched.
Split-level homes are different. They often have short flights between levels, and some have turns or landings, which can call for a curved lift built to the shape of the stairs. We measure each flight before recommending anything.
Ranch-style homes usually have the living space on one floor, but the lot may still put steps at the entry or down to a basement. Townhouses and walk-up apartments bring their own layouts, and in a rental the owner's permission comes first.
On a sloped lot, the hardest stairs are sometimes outside. An outdoor stair lift is built to handle weather and can carry a person up exterior steps to the front or side door.
If the person uses a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a seat, a platform lift may make more sense than a chair. A ramp is another option where the yard has room for one.
Across the four towns listed here, with a combined population of 51,922, about 21.7% of residents are 65 or older and about 67.1% own their homes. Countywide, the homeownership rate is about 75.7%.
Owning the home matters because several funding programs, including the USDA and VA SAH and SHA grants, require that the applicant owns the house. Renters still have options, covered below.
The one program in our list that names chairlifts on its own source is the Virginia Housing accessibility grant, worth up to $10,000 with no repayment. In the Roanoke region, the Blue Ridge Independent Living Center is the approved local agent you apply through, at (540) 342-1231.
Other programs cover home modifications or accessibility work but do not list stair lifts by name, so ask before you count on them. That includes the CCC Plus Waiver, the USDA Section 504 repair program and the VA HISA, SAH and SHA grants.
Statewide, it is also worth asking about the Virginia Livable Home Tax Credit (LHTC) and the Assistive Technology Loan Fund Authority (ATLFA). For aging services and referrals, the Local Office on Aging (PSA 5) is at 4932 Frontage Road NW, Roanoke, (540) 345-0451. Veterans can reach the Virginia Department of Veterans Services Roanoke Field Office in Salem at (540) 982-2463.
A Virginia Medicaid waiver for people 65 and older, and people ages 0-64 with disabilities, who meet a nursing-facility level of care; it covers Environmental Modification and Assistive Technology, but the source does not mention stair lifts. Call the Cover Virginia Call Center at (833) 522-5582, and expect an LTSS screening through the local Department of Social Services.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest for up to 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners age 62 or older who cannot repay a loan, for very-low-income owners in USDA-eligible rural areas. Examples include ramps and walk-in tubs; stair lifts are not mentioned in the source.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 for service-connected disabilities or up to $2,000 for other disabling conditions, for owned or rented homes, with a VA-physician prescription. Covered work includes ramps and entrance changes; stair lifts are not listed, and removable accessibility equipment is excluded. Phone: (540) 982-2463.
Grants for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home: SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 (FY2026). Examples given are ramps and widened doorways; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (800) 827-1000.
True grants of up to $10,000 per household that explicitly list installing ramps and chairlifts, with tracks for veterans (80% AMI), homeowners (60% AMI) and renters (60% AMI). Apply through an approved local agent; in the Roanoke region call (540) 342-1231.
A center for independent living that serves as the Roanoke-region agent for Virginia Housing's accessibility modification grants of up to $10,000. Its own page lists ramps, railings and grab bars rather than stair lifts; call (540) 342-1231.
Serves adults 60 and older in Roanoke County and nearby localities with meals, transportation, homemaker help, care coordination, donated medical equipment and referrals. It does not list a stair lift program, but it can point you to help; call (540) 345-0451.
Older adults
4932 Frontage Road NW, Roanoke, 24019
Veterans
1970 Roanoke Blvd, Bldg. 8, Room 113, Salem, 24153
Yes. The Virginia Housing accessibility grants list installing ramps and chairlifts as a typical modification, up to $10,000 with no repayment. In the Roanoke region you apply through the Blue Ridge Independent Living Center at (540) 342-1231.
The Rental Unit Accessibility Modification track of the Virginia Housing grants is for renters at or below 60% of area median income. The VA HISA grant also applies to rented homes. You will still need the property owner's permission for any installation.
The Local Office on Aging serves adults 60 and older, but the CCC Plus Waiver includes people ages 0-64 with disabilities who meet a nursing-facility level of care. The Virginia Housing grants are based on income and disability, not age.
The CCC Plus Waiver covers Environmental Modification and Assistive Technology, but its page does not name stair lifts. Call the Cover Virginia Call Center at (833) 522-5582 to ask how those benefits apply to your situation.
It depends on how the flights connect. Straight flights can take straight lifts, while flights with turns or landings may need a curved lift. We measure every set of steps before recommending a setup.
Contact the Virginia Department of Veterans Services Roanoke Field Office at 1970 Roanoke Blvd, Bldg. 8, Room 113, Salem, (540) 982-2463. Veterans with a service-connected, line-of-duty injury may also qualify for the Granting Freedom grant through Virginia Housing.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
