Forest County covers about 1,046 square miles of far northeastern Wisconsin, much of it inside the Nicolet National Forest. Its four towns, Crandon, Laona, Mole Lake and Wabeno, sit among woods and lakes, and Sugarbush Hill here is the second-highest point in the state. With about 9.1 people per square mile, most homes are a long drive from the nearest neighbor.
That distance shapes how families handle stairs. When a parent in a ranch-style house outside Wabeno can no longer manage the basement steps, or the split-level in Crandon starts to feel like a climb, help is not always close by. This page explains which kind of stair lift fits the homes found here and which programs can help pay for one.
Most homes here are single-family detached houses, including a lot of ranch-style and split-level homes. Each one raises a different stair question.
A ranch-style house often puts the laundry, the freezer or a spare bedroom down a straight basement staircase. A straight stair lift is usually the simplest and quickest fit for that run. Split-level homes are different: they have short flights between levels, sometimes with a turn or a landing, and those layouts may call for a curved lift built to the exact shape of the stairs.
Crandon, the county seat, was incorporated in 1909 and had 959 housing units in the most recent census figures available to us. That mix of older and newer construction means we measure every staircase in person before recommending anything.
The county is counted as 100.0% rural. For many households the hardest steps are not inside at all but on the porch, the deck or the slope from the driveway to the door.
Outdoor stair lifts are built with weather-resistant parts for that kind of entry. Where someone uses a wheelchair, a vertical platform lift can be the better answer at a raised entrance. Because contractors and aging services can be a considerable distance from rural homes, it pays to plan the whole route in and out of the house during one visit.
Forest County has a median age of 49.5, and 25.9% of its 9,179 residents were 65 or older in the 2020 census. The U.S. Department of Agriculture lists the county as a high-recreation retirement destination, so many people moved here to stay for the long term.
About 61.9% of households own their homes, which matters because owners can make permanent changes like a stair lift.
The clearest public route is Wisconsin IRIS, a Medicaid waiver whose covered home modifications name stair lifts directly. Family Care also covers home modifications, though its listed examples are grab bars, ramps and wider doorways rather than stair lifts.
Veterans can start with the Forest County Veterans Service Office in Crandon, which helps with VA applications. Low-income rural homeowners can ask about USDA Section 504 repair loans and grants. If you are unsure where to begin, the ADRC of the Northwoods can sort out which programs fit.
A self-directed Medicaid waiver for residents 65+, or 18-64 with a disability, who need a nursing facility level of care; home modifications including stair lifts are a named covered service. Call the IRIS Call Center at (888) 515-4747.
A statewide managed long-term-care Medicaid program for people 65+ or with a disability who meet care and financial tests; it covers home modifications such as grab bars and ramps, but the source does not mention stair lifts. Call (800) 362-3002.
The Crandon office at 300A South Lake St offers options counseling, benefits specialists and referrals to programs like IRIS and Family Care; the source does not mention stair lifts. Call (715) 478-2015.
This county office helps veterans and their families apply for VA health care, disability compensation, pensions and other benefits; the source does not list stair lifts specifically. Call (715) 478-3722.
Federal grants for veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities to adapt a home they own, up to $126,526 for SAH or $25,350 for SHA in FY2026; the source does not mention stair lifts. Call (800) 827-1000.
Loans and grants for very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas to repair homes or remove health and safety hazards; the source does not itemize stair lifts. Call (715) 345-7611.
Older adults
200 E. Madison St., Crandon, 54520
Veterans
200 E Madison St, Courthouse, Crandon, 54520
Through the IRIS waiver, yes. IRIS lists stair lifts among covered home modifications for people who qualify for a nursing facility level of care. The 2026 limits for a single applicant are $2,982 a month in income and $2,000 in assets. Call (888) 515-4747.
IRIS also serves people age 18-64 with a physical, developmental or intellectual disability who need a nursing facility level of care. The ADRC of the Northwoods serves people with disabilities starting at age 17.5.
The Forest County Veterans Service Office at 200 E Madison St in the courthouse helps with VA benefit applications. Call (715) 478-3722.
Sometimes. If each flight is straight, separate straight lifts can work. If the stairs turn or share a landing, a curved lift is usually needed. We measure first so you know before you commit.
Yes. Outdoor stair lifts and vertical platform lifts are common choices for porch and deck steps at homes outside town centers.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
