From waterfront lots along Budd Inlet to forested uplands near Yelm, Tenino and Rochester, Thurston County sits on uneven ground. Homes here often follow the slope, so many have split levels, daylight basements or steps leading up from the driveway. That shape decides which stair lift will work.
We install stair lifts in Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater, Tanglewilde, Grand Mound, Rainier, Bucoda and the other communities across the county. This page walks through how local homes affect the choice of lift, and which public and nonprofit programs may help with the cost.
Thurston County covers 774 square miles at the south end of Puget Sound, with lakes, inlets and river valleys along the Nisqually, Chehalis and Black rivers. Building on that kind of land tends to produce multi-level houses, and the county's housing stock reflects it.
The 2020 Census counted 121,438 housing units in the county, with a homeowner vacancy rate of just 0.9%. With so few homes on the market, moving to a one-story house is not always realistic. For many families, adapting the current home is the practical route.
A straight staircase in a single-family home or townhouse usually takes a straight rail, which is the simplest install. Split-level homes are different. They often have short flights with a landing or a turn, and a turn means a curved rail built to fit that specific staircase.
Some homes have steps outside, from a sloped driveway or yard up to the front door. An outdoor lift can handle those, but in a wet Pacific Northwest climate it needs weather-rated parts and a cover. Where a wheelchair user has to get between levels, a platform lift may make more sense than a seat.
Walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings raise another question: who owns the stairs. In shared stairwells, the building owner has to approve any installation before we measure.
Lacey is now the largest city, with more than 60,000 people, ahead of Olympia, the state capital and county seat.
That mix matters for funding. Older adults have access to state waiver programs and local aging services, and veterans have their own set of VA grants with different rules about stair equipment.
The clearest public source is the Washington Apple Health COPES Waiver, which lists lift systems among covered home modifications. It requires a functional assessment and has income and asset limits, so it is worth checking early.
The VA HISA grant specifically excludes stair glides, and most other programs listed below do not mention stair lifts at all. They may still help with related work, such as handrails or a ramp at the entry. A good first call is the Lewis-Mason-Thurston AAA office at 2404 Heritage Court SW, Suite A, Olympia, at (360) 664-3162. Veterans can reach the Thurston County Veterans Program in Lacey at (360) 867-8236.
Statewide, residents can also ask about the Northwest Access Fund Home Modification Loan, Community First Choice (CFC), and the Senior Citizens & People with Disabilities Property Tax Exemption.
A Medicaid waiver for people 65+ or disabled who meet nursing-facility level of care, and it lists lift systems among covered home modifications, authorized case by case within the care plan. Thurston County residents apply through the regional HCS office in Tumwater; call (800) 786-3799.
A self-directed Medicaid budget option covering environmental modifications such as ramps, grab bars and door widening; residential stair lifts are not listed. Call (800) 786-3799.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 or $2,000 for medically needed home changes, but the VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts. Call (253) 582-8440.
Up to $126,526 (FY2026) for veterans with severe service-connected disabilities to adapt a home they own; stair lifts are not specifically named. Call (253) 582-8440.
Up to $25,350 (FY2026), usable across up to 6 adaptations, for veterans or qualifying family members with certain service-connected disabilities; stair lifts are not specifically named. Call (253) 582-8440.
Loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for homeowners 62+ in eligible rural areas, covering repairs and accessibility improvements; stair lifts are not specifically named. Rural eligibility must be confirmed for each address.
In-kind repairs for low-income homeowners who are 62+, disabled, veterans or families with young children; listed accessibility work is ramps, handrails and grab bars, not stair lifts. Call (360) 539-7830.
Health and safety repairs and accessibility work such as wheelchair ramps for Thurston County homeowners under 80% of Area Median Income; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (360) 956-3456.
An information, advocacy and referral group for people with disabilities that serves Thurston County; it does not list a stair lift benefit, so ask about current home modification referrals. Call (253) 582-1253.
The local aging agency, whose specialists connect residents to COPES and other funding; it does not list a stair lift benefit directly. Call (360) 664-2168.
Free volunteer help with minor home repairs for people 60+ on fixed incomes or adults 18-59 with functional limitations; stair lifts are not mentioned. Call (844) 851-9380.
Older adults
2404 Heritage Court SW, Suite A, Olympia, 98502
Veterans
4232 6th Ave SE, Suite 202, Lacey, 98503
The COPES Waiver lists lift systems among covered home modifications. Applicants must be 65+ or disabled, meet nursing-facility level of care, and fall under the 2026 limits of $2,982 a month in income and $2,000 in assets for a single person, with home equity exempt up to $1,130,000. Call (800) 786-3799 to start.
No. The VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts from HISA. The SAH and SHA grants do not specifically name stair lifts, so ask the VA directly at (253) 582-8440 or the Thurston County Veterans Program at (360) 867-8236.
No. A turn or landing usually calls for a curved rail made to fit your staircase. We measure the stairs in person to see what will fit.
Possibly. The Section 504 program serves very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas, and grants up to $10,000 are limited to those 62+. Stair lifts are not specifically named, and eligibility has to be confirmed for your address.
Catholic Community Services Volunteer Chore Services helps adults 18-59 with functional limitations, though only with minor repairs. COPES also covers people with disabilities who meet level-of-care rules, and the Center for Independence serves people with disabilities in Thurston County.
The Lewis-Mason-Thurston AAA in Olympia at (360) 664-3162 can point you to the right program, including the HCS office for COPES.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
