Florence County sits in the far northeastern corner of Wisconsin, with Michigan's Upper Peninsula to the north and east and part of the Nicolet National Forest inside its borders. The county seat of Florence anchors a spread-out area of forest, lakes and rivers, where a lot of homes are cabins and cottages rather than in-town houses.
That mix shapes how stair lifts get used here. A full-time homestead outside Florence and a part-time lake cabin with a steep stair up to a sleeping loft pose different problems, and both are common in this county. This page walks through the home types we see, the lift styles that fit them, and the programs that may help pay.
Much of the county's housing is seasonal. In the 2020 census, 53.2% of housing units were recorded as vacant, which mostly reflects vacation homes and part-time-retiree places on lakes and rivers in the Nicolet National Forest area.
Older multi-story cabins often have steep interior stairs to an upper loft or down to a walkout basement. Steep, narrow or turning stairs usually call for a curved stair lift built to the exact shape of the staircase. If the stair is too tight for any rail, a platform lift or moving the bedroom to the main floor may be the better answer.
Some cabins also have exterior stairs from the driveway or down toward the water. Those need an outdoor-rated lift that can handle northern Wisconsin weather, so tell us up front if the stairs you need help with are outside.
Year-round homes here include single-family and detached houses, ranch-style homes and split-level homes. A ranch-style home often has just one flight to a basement, which is usually a good fit for a straight stair lift.
Split-level homes are trickier because they have several short runs of stairs. One short run can take a straight lift, but if the person needs to reach more than one level, we look at which floor holds the bedroom and bathroom before recommending anything.
Florence County is the second-least populous county in Wisconsin, with 4,558 residents in 2020, after only Menominee County. The 2020 median age was 55.5, and 28.7% of residents were 65 or older, well above the national average.
With a small, dispersed population and long drives from Florence to outlying homes, in-home services and contractors have to cover a lot of ground. It helps to schedule an assessment early, before a fall or a hospital stay forces a rushed decision. Part-time cabin owners may want to plan the visit for a time when they are at the property.
Local funding is limited, so most help here comes from state and federal programs. A good first call is the Florence County ADRC at 501 Lake Ave. in Florence, (715) 528-4890, which offers benefits assistance and long-term care options counseling and can point you toward programs like IRIS and Family Care.
WisLoan is the one adult program in our list whose source specifically shows a stairlift as an eligible item, with low-interest loans from $500 to $80,000. Veterans should know that the VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides, while the SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either way. The county Veterans Service Officer at 501 Lake Avenue, (715) 528-3446, can help sort out VA options.
Details for each program are listed below. Coverage and amounts can change, so confirm with the program before you sign anything.
A statewide self-directed Medicaid waiver for Wisconsin residents 18 and older who live at home and meet functional eligibility through the Long-Term Care Functional Screen. Our source does not mention stair lifts or home modifications, so ask the Florence County ADRC at (715) 528-4890 about it.
Medicaid managed long-term care for frail elders and adults with disabilities 18 and older, with benefits set in an individualized care plan. The program's own source could not confirm stair lift coverage, so the Florence County ADRC at (715) 528-4890 is the place to start.
A county-administered Medicaid waiver for children under 18 with a physical, intellectual/developmental or mental health disability. It provides services such as home modifications, with amounts set by each child's care plan.
Low-interest loans from $500 to $80,000 for Wisconsin residents 18 and older with a disability, and a stairlift is listed among eligible items. A family member or other authorized representative can apply; call (414) 291-7520.
Repair loans and grants for very-low-income homeowners who live in their home in a USDA-eligible rural area, with the grant portion limited to applicants 62 and older who cannot repay a loan. The program's language covers repairs and improvements but does not specifically name stair lifts.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 for veterans with a service-connected disability, or $2,000 for other non-service-connected disabilities, for medically necessary home changes. It explicitly does not cover stair glides or porch lifts; call (800) 827-1000.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities: SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 (FY2026). The source names ramps and doorway widening but does not mention stair lifts; call (800) 827-1000.
Not a cash grant, but a local office offering information and referral, benefits assistance, long-term care options counseling and caregiver support for older adults, adults with disabilities and caregivers. Call (715) 528-4890 or TTY (715) 528-5023.
Older adults
501 Lake Ave., Florence, 54121
Veterans
501 Lake Avenue, Florence, 54121
Often, yes. Steep or turning cabin stairs usually need a curved lift built to fit, and very tight stairs may need a platform lift or a different plan. We confirm fit during an in-home assessment.
The VA HISA grant explicitly excludes stair glides. The SAH and SHA grants do not name stair lifts either way, so talk with the Veterans Service Officer in Florence at (715) 528-3446 or the VA at (800) 827-1000.
WisLoan offers low-interest loans from $500 to $80,000 to Wisconsin residents 18 and older with a disability, and a stairlift is one of the eligible items. Call (414) 291-7520.
The Children's Long-Term Support (CLTS) Waiver serves children under 18 with disabilities and provides services such as home modifications. It is run through the county.
Call the Florence County ADRC at (715) 528-4890. Its staff offer benefits assistance and long-term care options counseling and can connect you to programs like IRIS and Family Care.
The USDA Section 504 program has a grant portion for homeowners 62 and older with very low income who cannot repay a repair loan. Its rules do not specifically name stair lifts, so ask before counting on it.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
