San Juan County is more than 400 islands and rocks in the Salish Sea, and most people live on the four largest: San Juan, Orcas, Lopez and Shaw. Homes here sit on hilly, rocky or waterfront-bluff lots, so it is common to find exterior stairs up to the front door and another flight inside between the living space and the bedrooms.
That layout is why a stair lift is often the practical fix on the islands. It lets someone keep using the whole house in Friday Harbor, Roche Harbor or out on Orcas without a full remodel. This page walks through which lift fits which home, what island logistics mean for installation, and where to look for help paying.
Rugged terrain shapes how houses get built here. Mount Constitution on Orcas Island rises to 2,407 feet, and many lots step down toward the water. Builders answer with multi-level construction and split-level homes, which can mean several short flights instead of one long one.
A single straight run between floors is usually the simplest job, using a straight stair lift. Stairs that turn at a landing or wrap around a corner call for a curved lift built to fit that staircase. In a split-level home, we look at which flights the person actually uses every day before recommending anything.
Exterior steps up a bluff or slope to the front door are a common island problem. An outdoor stair lift is designed to handle weather, and for someone who uses a wheelchair, a platform lift may be the better match for getting from the driveway level to the entry.
Housing here also includes townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings. Townhouses often have tight interior stairs where a slim straight or curved lift works. In walk-ups and shared buildings, the stairway may be a common area, so talk with the owner or association before planning an install.
The county's 2020 census counted 17,788 residents, with 34.3% age 65 or older and a median age of 56.1. That is a much older population than the national average, and it means many households are thinking about aging in place at the same time.
Of occupied homes, 73.8% are owner-occupied, so most people deciding on a lift own the house and can make the change themselves. The census also showed a 38.7% vacancy rate, which reflects seasonal and vacation homes. If you are planning for a part-time residence, it is worth deciding early which home needs the lift first.
There are no bridges to the mainland. All off-island travel depends on Washington State Ferries, which generally require reservations in summer. That bottleneck affects equipment delivery and installer access just as it affects medical appointments.
If you can, start the conversation well before you need the lift. Measuring the stairs, ordering a curved rail if needed and booking ferry space all take time, and summer is the tightest season.
Median household income in the county was $68,577, with a 10.8% poverty rate, and the county has the highest income-inequality rate in Washington State. That mix means some families pay out of pocket while others need outside help.
Of the programs listed below, only the Northwest Access Fund loan explicitly names stair lift installation. The VA grants, USDA Section 504 and the COPES waiver cover home modifications but do not name stair lifts, so ask each one directly. Locally, San Juan County Veterans Resources is at 350 Court St #1 in Friday Harbor, (360) 370-7470, and the NW Regional Council AAA is at 600 Lakeway Drive, Suite 100, Bellingham, (360) 676-6749.
Other statewide programs worth asking about include Community First Choice (CFC), VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the Senior Citizens & People with Disabilities Property Tax Exemption.
A state Medicaid waiver benefit for adults who are Medicaid-eligible and meet nursing-facility level of care, paying for modifications that help them adapt the home to a medical or disabling condition. Stair lifts are not named in the source, so ask the Northwest Regional Council Senior Information & Assistance office for San Juan County about modification requests.
A federal grant of up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans and service members with qualifying service-connected disabilities to buy, build or modify a permanent home. The source does not name stair lifts; San Juan County Veterans Resources at (360) 370-7470 can help you start.
A federal grant of up to $25,350 (FY2026) for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, and the home may be owned by the veteran or a family member. Stair lifts are not named in the source.
For SAH- or SHA-eligible veterans temporarily living in a family member's home, this grant pays up to $50,961 or up to $9,100 (FY2026) to adapt that home. The source does not name stair lifts.
Loans up to $40,000 and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income homeowner-occupants to repair, improve or remove health and safety hazards, with grants limited to homeowners age 62 or older. Stair lifts are not named; call (800) 414-1226.
A nonprofit loan of up to $60,000 over up to 120 months for Washington seniors and people with disabilities, and it explicitly lists installation of stairlifts. Call (206) 328-5116.
A resource and referral office for older adults, adults with disabilities and family caregivers in San Juan, Island, Skagit and Whatcom Counties. Its listed services do not mention stair lifts, so call (360) 676-6749 to ask about home-modification referrals.
Older adults
600 Lakeway Drive, Suite 100, Bellingham, 98225
Veterans
350 Court St #1, Friday Harbor, 98250
The Northwest Access Fund Home Modification Loan explicitly lists installation of stairlifts, with loans up to $60,000. Call (206) 328-5116. The other programs cover home modifications in general but do not name stair lifts.
USDA Section 504 grants are limited to homeowners age 62 or older, though its loans are not. Veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities can look at the VA SAH, SHA and TRA grants, which have no age limit stated in the source.
Often, yes. Outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior steps, and a platform lift may suit someone using a wheelchair. We look at the slope, the stairs and the landing at the top before recommending one.
With no bridges to the mainland, equipment and installers come over on Washington State Ferries, which generally require reservations in summer. Planning ahead helps, especially for curved lifts that are built to fit your stairs.
San Juan County Veterans Resources is at 350 Court St #1, Friday Harbor, WA 98250, phone (360) 370-7470. They can point you toward VA home-adaptation grants.
The COPES waiver pays for home modifications that help an adult adapt to a medical or disabling condition, but stair lifts are not named on the source page. Ask the Northwest Regional Council Senior Information & Assistance office for San Juan County whether your request qualifies.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
