From Northport and Marcus near the Canadian border down to Loon Lake, Clayton and Suncrest, Stevens County is mostly rural acreage and small towns. About 89.1% of residents live in rural areas, and much of the housing sits around Colville or spread out along the Columbia and Colville rivers. Many of these homes were not built with multi-level accessibility in mind.
That matters when someone starts having trouble with stairs. A stair lift can keep a bedroom, bathroom or laundry room on another floor usable, and it often costs far less than moving. This page walks through how local home styles affect the choice of lift, and which programs in Stevens County and Washington can help pay for one.
The county's housing is mostly single-family homes, along with manufactured homes, split-level homes and some low-rise buildings. Each one points to a different kind of lift, so the first step is always looking at the actual stairs.
A single-family home with one straight run of stairs is usually the simplest job. A straight stair lift mounts to the treads, not the wall, and can often be installed in a day.
Split-level homes are trickier. They tend to have several short flights with landings, so a single rail may need to curve around corners, or each flight may need its own straight lift. A curved rail is built to the exact shape of the staircase, which takes more measuring and more lead time.
In a manufactured home, the hard part is often getting in the door, not getting upstairs. Entry steps and porches are where an outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can help, especially for someone who uses a walker or wheelchair.
Outdoor equipment here has to handle winter. We look at covers, weather-rated parts and where snow and ice build up before recommending a model for an entry in Kettle Falls, Chewelah or out on rural acreage.
Stevens County covers 2,478 square miles of land, including most of the Spokane Indian Reservation and part of the Colville National Forest. Mountains, forest and long drives between towns add travel time for any home service, and winter weather can slow things down further.
Because of that, it helps to start early. Measuring, choosing between a straight or curved rail, and lining up funding all take time, and it is easier to do before a fall or a hospital stay forces a rushed decision.
The need is real here. The 2020 census recorded a median age of 48.3, with 24.5% of residents 65 or older, and the 2024 homeownership rate was 79.8%. Most older residents own their homes, which makes modifying the house a practical option.
The one program in the list below that names stair lifts outright is the Northwest Access Fund home modification loan. It lends up to $60,000 with terms up to 10 years, and it must be repaid. With a 2024 median property value of $350,600 and a median household income of $69,327, many families here have home equity but not a lump of cash, which is where a loan like this fits.
Other programs cover home modifications more broadly without naming stair lifts. COPES can pay for environmental modifications for eligible Apple Health clients, and Rural Resources Community Action runs a home repair program for lower-income rural homeowners. In both cases, ask directly whether a stair lift would qualify.
Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant excludes stair glides. The Stevens County Veteran Services Office (SCVSO) at 232 Williams Lake Rd., Colville, can be reached at (509) 685-2837 to talk through VA options, and the Spokane Area AAA at 1222 N. Post St., Spokane, is at (509) 458-2509.
A Washington Medicaid waiver that pays for environmental modifications needed for health, welfare and safety for Apple Health clients who qualify for nursing-facility level of care but stay at home; stair lifts are not named in the regulation and there is no stated dollar cap. Stevens County residents can call (509) 684-3932.
A rural home repair loan program for owner-occupants in Ferry, Pend Oreille, Lincoln or Stevens County with household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, covering health and safety repairs; stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (509) 684-8421.
A low-interest accessibility loan of up to $60,000 with terms up to 120 months that lists installation of stairlifts among eligible modifications, open to Washington residents with disabilities, including seniors with age-related limitations. Call (206) 328-5116.
Free or low-cost support for unpaid family caregivers of adults 18 and older, including help with assistive technology, home repairs or modifications; stair lifts are not named specifically. ALTCEW is at (509) 960-7281, and Stevens County callers are directed to Rural Resources Community Action at (509) 684-3932.
A lifetime VA grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary home alterations, but it does not cover stair glides or porch lifts. The Stevens County Veteran Services Office at (509) 685-2837 can help with VA paperwork.
Federal grants for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities, with SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 in FY2026; stair lifts are not named on the source, which mentions ramps and wider doorways. The Stevens County Veteran Services Office at (509) 685-2837 is a local place to start.
Older adults
1222 N. Post St., Spokane, 99201
Veterans
232 Williams Lake Rd., Colville, 99114
Usually, yes. Split-level homes often have short flights with landings, so the fix may be a curved rail that follows the turns or a separate straight lift on each flight. An in-home measurement decides which.
The Northwest Access Fund home modification loan lists stairlift installation by name. It offers up to $60,000 over up to 120 months and must be repaid. Call (206) 328-5116.
No. HISA excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Veterans with severe service-connected disabilities can ask about SAH or SHA grants through the Stevens County Veteran Services Office at (509) 685-2837.
The ALTCEW Family Caregiver Support Program helps unpaid caregivers, including with home modifications. For Stevens County, call Rural Resources Community Action at (509) 684-3932.
An outdoor stair lift or a vertical platform lift can handle entry steps. Because of winter weather in the county, the equipment should be weather-rated and placed with snow and ice in mind.
Homeowners living in the house in a rural part of Ferry, Pend Oreille, Lincoln or Stevens County, with income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level and no affordable credit elsewhere. Repairs must address health and safety. Call (509) 684-8421.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
