Westmoreland County sits on the Northern Neck between the Potomac and the Rappahannock, and most homes here are spread out along back roads and shoreline rather than packed into town blocks. Colonial Beach and Montross are the two towns, and plenty of families live well outside either one. That spread matters when you are planning a stair lift, because each house tends to be its own case.
The county's homes range from single-family and split-level houses to townhouses and walk-up apartments, with a long line of history behind them at places like Stratford Hall and Nomini Hall. This page walks through how those homes affect the kind of lift you need and which Virginia and federal programs can help with the cost.
About 25.7% of residents are 65 or older, and the county's median age is 47.7. Roughly 75.7% of households own their homes, which means many people here can make permanent changes to their own staircase.
That is worth knowing because several of the funding programs below are built for veterans and service members, and a few of them have different rules about stair lifts.
A straight stair lift fits most single-family and detached houses with one run of stairs from the first floor to the second. It mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so it usually goes in within a day and comes out cleanly if plans change.
Split-level homes are different. They often have short flights between levels, and some have a turn or landing, which can call for a curved lift built to the shape of the staircase or separate lifts for each flight. Townhouses tend to have narrow, steep stairs, so we measure the width carefully before recommending a model.
Walk-up apartments raise a separate question: you will need the building owner's written approval before anything is installed. Some programs on this page also require owner authorization for renters.
With dispersed rural housing and a lot of homes near the water, many Westmoreland County houses sit up off the ground with steps to the porch or front door. An outdoor stair lift built for weather exposure, or a vertical platform lift for someone using a wheelchair, can solve the trip from the driveway to the door.
Older and historic homes often have tight turns, uneven treads or decorative banisters. A curved lift can usually be fitted without cutting into the original woodwork, but it takes an in-person measurement to know for sure.
Two Virginia Housing grants name chairlifts outright as a covered modification, each up to $10,000 with no repayment. One is for homeowners with a disability at or below 60% of area median income, and the other, Granting Freedom, is for disabled veterans and service members at or below 80%. Both are applied for through an approved agent such as a local housing authority.
Other programs cover home modifications or repairs but do not name stair lifts in their source material, so ask before you count on them. The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides. The county's median household income is $63,398, so many families here may fall under one of these income limits.
Bay Aging serves the Northern Neck, including Westmoreland County, and is a good first call to sort out which applications to file. You can reach Bay Aging (PSA 17/18) at (804) 758-2386. Veterans can contact the Virginia Department of Veterans Services - Fredericksburg Office at (540) 376-7298.
A state grant of up to $10,000 with no repayment for homeowners with a disability at or below 60% of area median income, and chairlifts are listed as a covered modification. Apply through an approved agent or call (877) 843-2123.
Up to $10,000 with no repayment for disabled veterans or service members with a line-of-duty injury at or below 80% of area median income, for owned homes or rentals, and chairlifts are covered. Call (877) 843-2123.
Medicaid waiver funding of up to $5,000 per calendar year for home modifications such as ramps, grab bars and bathroom changes for enrolled members; stair lifts are not named in the regulation. Call (833) 522-5582 or your care coordinator.
A VA benefit with a $6,800 or $2,000 lifetime maximum, depending on disability status, for medically needed home changes. It does not cover stair lifts, since stair glides and porch lifts are specifically excluded.
Up to $126,526 in FY2026 for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities who own or will own the home. The source gives ramps and wider doorways as examples and does not mention stair lifts.
Up to $25,350 in FY2026 for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands or certain respiratory injuries. Stair lifts are not specifically named in the source.
Rural repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners 62 and older, aimed at repairs and removing health and safety hazards; stair lifts are not named. Check your address on the USDA eligibility map and call (804) 287-1500.
Up to $4,000 per applicant for households at or below 80% of area median income, covering repairs that can include wheelchair ramps and other accessibility modifications; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (804) 371-7000 to find the local provider.
The regional aging and housing services agency for Westmoreland County, offering weatherization, plumbing rehabilitation and home rehabilitation programs; stair lifts are not named. Call (800) 493-0238 for help with referrals and applications.
Older adults
5306 Old Virginia St., Urbanna, 23175
Veterans
10300 Spotsylvania Avenue Suite 290, Fredericksburg, 22408
Yes. Both Virginia Housing accessibility grants, the Owner-Occupied Modification grant and the Granting Freedom grant for veterans, list chairlifts as a covered item, up to $10,000 each with no repayment. Call (877) 843-2123.
No. HISA specifically excludes stair glides, porch lifts and portable ramps. Veterans should look at the Granting Freedom grant instead, and can ask the Virginia Department of Veterans Services - Fredericksburg Office at (540) 376-7298 about other options.
The USDA Section 504 program offers grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowners 62 and older in eligible rural areas. It is framed around repairs and safety hazards and does not name stair lifts, so confirm with USDA Rural Development at (804) 287-1500.
Bay Aging serves the Northern Neck, including Westmoreland County. You can call (800) 493-0238 or Bay Aging (PSA 17/18) at (804) 758-2386, and they can point you toward EHARP, CCC Plus and USDA applications.
Usually, yes. Split-level homes often need a curved lift or a separate lift for each short flight, so the right answer depends on measuring your stairs in person.
You will need written approval from the property owner. The Granting Freedom grant applies to rental units, and EHARP accepts tenants who have written homeowner approval.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
