Manitowoc County stretches along Lake Michigan, from the shipbuilding city of Manitowoc and neighboring Two Rivers inland to Kiel, Reedsville, Valders, Mishicot and smaller places like St. Nazianz and Kellnersville. Across these 13 towns you find historic multi-story homes, farmhouses, duplexes and newer condominiums. Each brings different stairs and different stair lift choices.
This page walks through how local homes affect the kind of lift you need, what to expect in rural parts of the county, and which programs may help with the cost. Every program below includes a phone number so you can call the right office directly.
Manitowoc's historic core, including the Eighth Street Historic District, has many buildings from the 1850s-1930s. The 1906 Manitowoc County Courthouse is the best-known example from that era. Homes from that period are often multi-story houses with their original interior stairways, and they are the homes most likely to need a stair lift retrofit.
Older stairways can be narrow, steep or turn at a landing. A straight stair lift works when the staircase runs in a single line from bottom to top. If the stairs turn, wind or have a mid-level landing, a curved lift with a custom-built rail is usually the answer.
Outside the city, older rural farmhouses are common in towns like Whitelaw, Maribel, Francis Creek, Cleveland and Collins. These houses often have a main staircase plus steps at the entry or down to a basement, so we look at every set of stairs a person uses daily, not just the one to the bedroom.
Duplexes, townhouses and walk-up apartments raise a different question: who owns the stairs. In a shared stairway, the owner or association may need to approve an installation. Newer condominiums along the Manitowoc River and multi-unit buildings may have fewer interior stairs, but exterior steps can still be a barrier, which is where an outdoor lift or a platform lift for a wheelchair user comes in.
About 21.5% of county residents are 65 or older, and 69.9% of households own their home. Owning the home matters because most funding programs and most installations assume the owner can approve changes to the stairs.
If that includes someone in your family, the county veterans office can help sort out which VA benefits apply, though some VA grants do not pay for stair lifts.
The county covers about 1,494 square miles, but 61% of that is water, mostly Lake Michigan, leaving roughly 589 square miles of land. The population is 57.2% urban and 42.8% rural.
For families in outlying areas, that can mean longer travel times to reach the ADRC office or home-modification providers. It helps to call ahead, gather paperwork before an appointment, and ask whether a screening or visit can happen at the house.
The local economy rests on manufacturing and food processing, and many households here are on fixed incomes. Some families pay privately, while others rely on public and nonprofit programs such as Medicaid waivers, USDA 504, VA grants and WisLoan.
The clearest public route in Wisconsin is IRIS, which lists stair lifts as a covered home modification. The ADRC of the Lakeshore is the best first call, since its staff can screen for IRIS and Family Care and point you to other options like the Community Options Program (COP) or the WHEDA Home Improvement Loan Program (HILP). Each program is summarized below.
A self-directed Medicaid waiver for Wisconsin residents age 65+, or 18-64 with a disability, who meet nursing facility level of care; its covered home modifications explicitly include stair lifts. The 2026 income limit is $2,982/month with a $2,000 asset limit for a single applicant; call the IRIS Call Center at (888) 515-4747.
Medicaid managed long-term care for frail elders and adults with disabilities age 18+ whose condition is expected to last longer than 90 days, delivered through a managed-care organization's care plan. Stair lifts and home modifications are not listed in the benefit descriptions; call (800) 362-3002.
The local information and referral hub for older adults and adults with disabilities in Manitowoc and Kewaunee counties; staff connect residents to home modifications and to programs like IRIS and Family Care. It is not a cash grant; call (920) 683-4180.
Repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% for 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for very-low-income owners age 62+ in eligible rural areas. Stair lifts are not specifically listed; call (800) 414-1226 to ask about eligibility.
A lifetime grant of up to $6,800 for service-connected disabilities or $2,000 for other non-service-connected disabilities, for medically necessary home changes. HISA does not cover stair lifts, which the VA excludes as removable equipment; call (920) 683-4055 for help with other VA benefits.
Grants for veterans with qualifying severe service-connected disabilities: SAH up to $126,526 and SHA up to $25,350 for FY2026, with home ownership required. Stair lifts are not listed in the program description; call (920) 683-4055.
Helps veterans, service members and their families in the county apply for state and federal benefits, including VA HISA, SAH and SHA grants. It does not list stair lifts or its own home-modification funding; call (920) 683-4055.
Low-interest loans from $500 to $80,000 for Wisconsin residents age 18+ with a disability, or for someone applying on behalf of an eligible family member. Stair lifts are not listed in our program summary, so confirm with Options for Independent Living at (920) 490-0500.
Deferred-payment, no-interest loans for low-to-moderate income homeowners whose household includes an elderly person or a person with a disability, covering ramps, room modifications and general repairs. Stair lifts are not specifically listed; call (920) 490-0500.
Older adults
1028 S. 9th St., Manitowoc, 54220
Veterans
1701 Michigan Avenue, Manitowoc, 54220
The IRIS Medicaid waiver lists stair lifts as a covered home modification for people who qualify. You must be 65+, or 18-64 with a disability, meet nursing facility level of care and be enrolled in Medicaid. Call (888) 515-4747 or the ADRC at (920) 683-4180 to start.
Usually, yes. Many homes from the 1850s-1930s still have their original stairways. A straight lift fits stairs without turns, while stairs with a landing or a curve need a curved rail built to fit.
No. The VA excludes stair glides and porch lifts from HISA. The Manitowoc County Veterans Service Office at (920) 683-4055 can help you look at other VA benefits.
USDA Section 504 offers repair loans and, for owners age 62+, grants in eligible rural areas, though stair lifts are not specifically listed. Call (800) 414-1226 to check whether your address and income qualify.
Start with the Manitowoc County ADRC at (920) 683-4180. Staff there can screen for IRIS and Family Care and point you toward loans and other programs.
WisLoan offers low-interest loans from $500 to $80,000 for Wisconsin residents age 18+ with a disability. Options for Independent Living also has deferred-payment, no-interest HOME loans for qualifying homeowners. Both can be reached at (920) 490-0500.
Tell us about the stairs in your home and we will explain which lift fits, what it costs and how installation works.
