From the brownstone storefronts of downtown Ashland to the smaller towns of Mellen, Butternut, Glidden, New Odanah and Birch Hill, Ashland County is full of houses built long before anyone thought about accessibility. Many grew up with the city when it was a Lake Superior shipping and lumber town, and they still have the original interior stairways.
Add a far-northern climate with substantial winter snowfall, and stairs inside and outside the house become a real fall risk for anyone aging in place on Chequamegon Bay. This page walks through what the local homes mean for a stair lift and which programs can help cover the cost.
Housing here is generally older and modest in value. Many homes have multi-level layouts with stairways that were never modified, which is exactly where a stair lift does its work.
A plain, straight run between the first and second floor is usually the simplest install. A straight lift mounts to the stair treads, not the wall, so plaster walls in an older house are rarely a problem.
Split-level homes are a different story. Short flights with landings or turns often call for a curved rail built to fit that staircase, or two separate straight lifts.
Across the county you will find single-family homes, detached houses, townhouses, walk-up apartments and split-level homes. Each one raises its own questions before an install.
In a townhouse or walk-up apartment, the stairway may be narrow or shared, so the lift has to fold out of the way for others. If you rent, the owner or building manager needs to agree to the install first. In this county 59.4 percent of residents own their homes, so many families can make that decision themselves.
Ashland County sits in rural hill-and-forest country along Lake Superior, and winters bring a lot of snow. Icy porch and entry steps can be as dangerous as the stairs inside.
Outdoor stair lifts are built with weather covers for this kind of use. Where a wheelchair is involved, a vertical platform lift at the entry may fit better than a seat on a rail. In outlying parts of the county, plan ahead for service visits during the winter months.
About 21.3 percent of county residents are 65 or older, so a good share of households are already thinking about stairs.
The local ADRC office is a good first call for an older homeowner or an adult child helping a parent. It is at 420 Chapple Ave., Room 120, in Ashland, and the phone is (715) 682-7004.
The clearest funding path is the IRIS Medicaid waiver, which names stair lifts as a covered home modification. Family Care, USDA Section 504 and several VA grants cover home modifications, but their sources do not mention stair lifts, so ask before you count on them.
One firm rule for veterans: the VA HISA grant excludes stair glides. Talk with the Ashland County Veterans Service Officer at (715) 682-7011, 201 Main St W, Room 105, Ashland, about which VA benefits fit your situation.
Other statewide options to ask about include the Community Options Program (COP), WisLoan (WisTech Alternative Loan Program) and the WHEDA Home Improvement Loan Program (HILP). The program list below explains each local option.
A self-directed Medicaid waiver for Wisconsin residents of any age who need a nursing-facility level of care, with 2026 limits of $2,982 a month income and $2,000 in assets for a single applicant. Stair lifts are named as a covered home modification; call the IRIS Call Center at (888) 515-4747.
A managed long-term care program for Medicaid-eligible adults 18 and older, available in Ashland County, that covers modifications such as grab bars, ramps and widening doorways. Stair lifts are not listed in the source, so ask; call (800) 362-3002.
A no-cost information and long-term care access point for residents 60 and older and adults with disabilities of any age, not a direct funding source. Stair lifts are not listed; call (866) 663-3607.
Repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income rural homeowners, with grants limited to those 62 and older who cannot repay a loan. Accessibility work like ramps and grab bars is covered, but stair lifts are not listed; use the Rural Development Office Locator to find an office.
A lifetime benefit of $6,800 or $2,000 for medically necessary structural changes, depending on disability status. Stair glides are specifically excluded, so this grant does not cover a stair lift.
Up to $126,526 for FY2026 for veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities to adapt a home they own or will own. Stair lifts are not listed in the source.
Up to $25,350 for FY2026 for veterans with qualifying disabilities such as loss of use of both hands or severe burns. Stair lifts are not listed in the source.
Information, referral and advocacy for people with disabilities in Ashland, Bayfield, Iron, Price and Sawyer Counties and the Bad River, Lac Courte Oreilles and Red Cliff tribal nations. No stair lift funding is listed; reach it through (866) 663-3607.
A county home repair listing that points applicants toward USDA funding rather than stating its own amounts or eligibility. Stair lifts are not listed; call the department at (715) 682-7000.
Grants or forgivable loans for income-qualified owners of manufactured or mobile homes, with the homeowner contributing toward costs. Stair lifts are not listed; call (608) 255-3131.
Older adults
420 Chapple Ave., Room 120, Ashland, 54806
Veterans
201 Main St W, Room 105, Ashland, 54806
Yes. The Wisconsin IRIS Medicaid waiver lists stair lifts by name as a home modification. You must need a nursing-facility level of care and meet the income and asset limits; call (888) 515-4747.
Not through the HISA grant, which excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not mention stair lifts either, so ask the Ashland County Veterans Service Officer at (715) 682-7011 what else may apply.
The ADRC of the North serves adults with disabilities of any age, not only people 60 and older. IRIS is open to Wisconsin residents of any age who qualify, and Family Care starts at age 18.
Yes, Family Care is available statewide, including Ashland County. The more limited Family Care Partnership program is not offered here.
Tomorrow's Home Foundation offers grants or forgivable loans to income-qualified owners of manufactured or mobile homes. Stair lifts are not mentioned, so call (608) 255-3131 to ask.
Outdoor stair lifts are made for exposed steps, which matters with the heavy winter snowfall here. For wheelchair users, a platform lift at the entry may be the better fit.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
