In and around Abingdon, the county seat, many houses are 19th-century Victorian-era homes and farmhouses with their original stairways still in use. Out toward Glade Spring, Emory and Damascus, you find newer subdivisions, country estates and older rural houses spread across Virginia's far southwestern Appalachian region.
That mix means no two stair lift jobs here look quite the same. An old farmhouse staircase, a split-level entry and a single-story subdivision home with a few porch steps each call for a different answer. This page walks through what fits where and which local and state programs may help with the cost.
Abingdon's downtown has Victorian-era homes and farmhouses that are multi-story, with stairways built long before anyone thought about accessibility. These are the homes where a stair lift often makes the biggest difference, because the bedrooms and full bath are usually upstairs.
If the staircase runs in one straight line from bottom to top, a straight stair lift is the simpler and faster install. If it turns at a landing or curves, the rail has to be custom-bent to that exact staircase, which takes more measuring and more lead time. Either way, we check the stair width, the condition of the treads and where the rail can be anchored before recommending anything.
Washington County housing also includes single-family homes, detached houses, townhouses, walk-up apartments and split-level homes. Split-levels are a common puzzle: there are short runs of stairs between levels, so the question is which run matters most for daily life.
Townhouses often have a straight interior stair that suits a straight lift well. In a walk-up apartment, the stairs may be shared space, so talk with the building owner before planning anything on a common stairway. Newer single-story subdivision homes may need nothing inside at all, only help getting up the front or back steps.
The county covers about 566 square miles and takes in parts of the Jefferson National Forest and the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. About 69.2% of residents live in rural areas, with the more urban share concentrated around Abingdon.
For a lot of rural homes, the hard part is outside: steep porch steps or a long run from the driveway to the door. Outdoor stair lifts are built for weather exposure, and a vertical platform lift can make sense where someone uses a wheelchair and a ramp would be too long for the yard. Remote locations can also mean fewer in-home service visits, so it pays to choose equipment that is simple to maintain.
About 22.9% of residents are 65 or older, and 63.6% are homeowners. Many of those owners want to stay in the house they already have rather than move to a single-story place.
The Abingdon Benefits Office at 100 Abingdon Place, Suite 202, Abingdon, VA 24211, can be reached at (276) 623-0070.
The one program in our list that names chairlifts directly is the Virginia Housing Accessibility Grants, with grants of up to $10,000 that do not have to be repaid. Applications go through a Virginia Housing-accepted agent, and income limits apply.
Other options cover home modifications in general without naming stair lifts, so ask each one directly. The local Area Agency on Aging, the Appalachian Independence Center and the CCC Plus Medicaid waiver are good first calls. Note that the VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides, so veterans should look at the other routes listed below.
A statewide Virginia Medicaid waiver with no waitlist for older adults and people with disabilities who meet a nursing-facility level of care; it covers Environmental Modifications approved individually in the member's plan of care, though stair lifts are not named on the source. Call (844) 374-9159.
The Area Agency on Aging for Washington County offers Chore & Residential Repair Services, generally for residents age 60 and older, to help people live safely at home; stair lifts are not named on the source. Call (800) 541-0933.
A center for independent living with an office in Abingdon that lists home modifications among its services, with examples like rails, ramps and porches; stair lifts are not specifically named. Call (276) 628-2979.
A VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime, depending on disability status, for permanent alterations like ramps and roll-in showers. It explicitly does not cover stair glides or porch lifts.
VA grants of up to $126,526 (SAH) or $25,350 (SHA) for FY2026 to build, buy or remodel a home for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities. The source gives ramps and wider doorways as examples and does not name stair lifts.
Statewide grants of up to $10,000 with no repayment, and installing ramps and chairlifts is listed as an eligible modification; income limits are 80% of area median income for veterans under Granting Freedom and 60% for the other two. Call (877) 843-2123.
Low-interest loans for Virginia residents with disabilities, or their family members, for specialized equipment tied to the disability; major home modifications are excluded and stair lifts are not named. Call (804) 662-9000.
Competitive grants to localities that can fund housing rehabilitation for low- to moderate-income homeowners; it is not a direct-to-resident program and stair lifts are not named. Call (804) 371-7000.
Older adults
4453 Lee Highway, Marion, 24354
Veterans
100 Abingdon Place, Suite 202, Abingdon, 24211
Often, yes. Straight staircases take a straight lift, while stairs that turn or curve need a custom rail. We look at stair width, tread condition and anchoring points during a home visit before recommending one.
The Virginia Housing Accessibility Grants list installing ramps and chairlifts as eligible work, with grants of up to $10,000 that do not need to be repaid. Income limits apply, and applications go through a Virginia Housing-accepted agent. Call (877) 843-2123.
The HISA grant does not; it explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants fund accessibility remodeling but do not name stair lifts, so ask directly. Veterans can also look at the Granting Freedom grant from Virginia Housing, and can call the Abingdon Benefits Office at (276) 623-0070.
The District Three Governmental Cooperative Area Agency on Aging offers Chore & Residential Repair Services, generally for residents age 60 and older, after an intake assessment. Call (800) 541-0933, or reach its Marion office at 4453 Lee Highway, Marion, VA 24354, at (276) 783-8157.
An outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure is one option for porch steps. If a wheelchair is involved, a vertical platform lift can avoid the long ramp a hilly lot would need.
The CCC Plus Medicaid Waiver covers Environmental Modifications approved individually in a member's plan of care, for people who meet a nursing-facility level of care. Stair lifts are not named on the source page, so ask the care coordinator. Call (844) 374-9159.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
