Across the 13 towns of Whitman County, from Colfax and Pullman to Oakesdale, LaCrosse and Uniontown, homes sit on the rolling Palouse hills. Sloped lots, split-level layouts and multi-story farmhouses with steps up to the front door are a normal part of life here.
That terrain shapes which stair lift makes sense for a given house. This page walks through the common home styles in the county, what each means for a lift, and the state, veteran and nonprofit programs that can help with the cost.
The Palouse is hilly farm country, with Steptoe Butte at 3,612 ft, Kamiak Butte at 3,641 ft and Tekoa Mountain at 4,009 ft rising above the fields. Towns like Palouse, Rosalia, Tekoa, St. John, Endicott and Garfield are spread across that uneven ground.
Building on a slope often means a raised entry with exterior steps or a porch. For many households the first stair problem is getting into the house, not climbing to the bedroom. An outdoor stair lift, built to handle weather, can run along those entry steps.
Palouse Habitat for Humanity runs its Ramps & Rails program around this exact issue, repairing exterior steps, porches and railings. That tells you how common stepped entries are in the county's small towns.
Split-level homes and multi-story farmhouses are common outside Pullman. A split-level usually has more than one short flight of stairs, so we look at each run and how you actually move through the house before recommending anything.
A single straight flight is usually the simplest install. Stairs that turn, have a landing in the middle or wind around a corner need a curved lift built to fit that staircase. Where stairs are short and a wheelchair is involved, a platform lift may be the better fit.
Pullman, home to Washington State University, has a more varied mix of housing than the rest of the county. Townhouses, walk-up apartments and low-rise buildings sit alongside single-family homes.
Only 40.6% of county households own their home, so many people rent. If you rent, talk with your landlord before planning a lift, since you will need the owner's permission to install equipment on the stairs.
The county's median age was just 25.6 in the 2020 census because of the large student population, and 9.9% of residents are 65 or older. Those numbers hide a real difference: outside Pullman, the smaller farming towns skew toward older residents who plan to stay in their homes.
If that includes your parent, the veteran programs below are worth checking, and the county Veteran Services Officer in Colfax can help with the paperwork.
Washington has two programs that list home modifications, including stair lifts, as covered: the COPES Waiver for people on Medicaid, and Tailored Supports for Older Adults for people age 55 and up whose income is above regular Medicaid limits. Both require meeting a nursing-facility level of care.
For COPES, start with the DSHS Home and Community Services office at 418 S Main St Suite 3 in Colfax, (509) 568-3700. For TSOA, Rural Resources Community Action handles intake for Whitman County at (509) 684-3932.
Other statewide options to ask about include the Northwest Access Fund Home Modification Loan, VA Benefits for Veterans (HISA + Prosthetics) and the Senior Citizens & People with Disabilities Property Tax Exemption. Veterans can call the Veteran Services Officer at 111 Upton St, Colfax, (509) 397-5246.
A Medicaid waiver benefit for people 65+ or disabled who meet nursing-facility level of care, covering medically necessary home adaptations; stair lifts fall within this category. Apply through the DSHS HCS office in Colfax at (509) 568-3700.
A state-funded program for people 55+ with income above regular Medicaid limits that covers minor home modifications, including stair lifts, up to $500/year at Step Two, with larger modifications possible under a Step Three care plan. Call Rural Resources Community Action at (509) 684-3932.
A Medicaid benefit covering assistive devices such as alert systems and adaptive utensils; it does not cover stair lifts or home modifications. Questions go to the DSHS HCS office at (509) 568-3700.
Federal grants for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities, up to $126,526 for SAH and $25,350 for SHA in FY2026; the source does not mention stair lifts by name. The county Veteran Services Officer at (509) 397-5246 can help you apply.
A nonprofit program that provides ramps and repairs exterior steps, porches and decks for lower-income residents in towns including Colfax, Pullman, Palouse and Tekoa; it does not do interior work such as stair lifts. Call (208) 883-8502.
The Area Agency on Aging for Whitman County offers minor home repair and modification services; the source does not mention stair lifts. Call (509) 960-7281, though Whitman County referrals may be routed to Rural Resources Community Action at (509) 332-0365.
Older adults
1222 N. Post St., Spokane, 99201
Veterans
111 Upton St, Colfax, 99111
Yes, outdoor stair lifts are built for exterior entry steps. Raised, stepped entries are common across Whitman County's small towns because so many homes sit on sloped lots.
The COPES Waiver covers home adaptations, and stair lifts fall within that category, for people who are Medicaid eligible and meet nursing-facility level of care. Call the DSHS HCS office in Colfax at (509) 568-3700. Community First Choice does not cover stair lifts.
Tailored Supports for Older Adults serves people age 55 and older whose income is above regular Medicaid limits but within its financial test. It covers minor home modifications up to $500/year at Step Two. Call Rural Resources at (509) 684-3932.
No. Palouse Habitat for Humanity's Ramps & Rails program works on exterior ramps, steps and decks and does not take on interior projects. It can still help with the entry steps if you qualify.
Day-to-day Whitman County case management and referrals moved to Rural Resources Community Action at (509) 332-0365. ALTCEW is still the Area Agency on Aging at (509) 960-7281, so you may be routed to either number.
Contact the Veteran Services Officer at 111 Upton St in Colfax, (509) 397-5246. VA SAH, SHA and TRA grants cover home adaptations for qualifying service-connected disabilities, though stair lifts are not named in the source.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
