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Ales: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of Oristano, Sardegna. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Ales

The report looks at the exact point: landslide and flood risk, seismic zone, price per square metre for the area, services and nearby stops.

For example: Via Umberto Primo 1, Ales.

Ales, Gramsci's birthplace at the foot of Monte Arci

Ales is where Antonio Gramsci was born, and it is the seat of the diocese of Ales-Terralba, with its cathedral. It lies in Alta Marmilla, in the province of Oristano, at the foot of Monte Arci, the volcanic massif known for its obsidian. Oristano and the SS131 main road are a drive down towards the plain.

For its area, Ales works as a small service centre: the Overture Maps data list 4 schools, 3.18 per 1,000 inhabitants against 1.21 in the province. Other services, including the hospital, are in Oristano. Buyers will find low village houses, often with a courtyard, and some newer detached homes; in older stone houses, check the walls for damp and the condition of the roof.

The village is losing people. In 2023 there were 1,257 residents, down 17.0% on the 1,515 of 2011 according to Istat, the national statistics office. The average age is 51.9, against 49.8 in the province, and over-65s are 33.7% (29.5% provincially). Foreign residents are few, 1.2%. Declared incomes are slightly below the provincial average.

The climate is mild, climate zone C, and earthquakes are not a significant concern: all 87 municipalities in the province of Oristano are in seismic zone 4, the lowest in the Civil Protection classification, and the expected acceleration here is 0.050 g.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes the cadastral maps, and the report goes from the address to the plot. For houses on the slope towards Monte Arci and those near streams, the official landslide and flood maps are worth checking.

Key points

  • Birthplace of Antonio Gramsci, at the foot of Monte Arci.
  • 4 schools, 3.18 per 1,000 inhabitants.
  • Population down 17.0%, over-65s at 33.7%.
  • All 87 municipalities in the province in seismic zone 4.

Overview

Ales is a municipality in the province of Oristano, in Sardegna. At the end of 2023 it had 1,257 residents, ranked 31 of 87 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Ales is in seismic zone 4, the lowest-risk zone, where strong earthquakes are very rare. All 87 municipalities in the province are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.050 g, a moderate value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

In zone 4 the risk is low, but for an older building it is still worth asking about the state of the structure.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has fallen by 17.0%. The estimated average age is 52 years, higher than the province average (50). 34% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 27%). Foreign residents make up 1.2% of the population. On average, a household has 2.2 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Ales declared an average taxable income of 18,893 euros, in line with the province (19,764 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Ales is in climate zone C, with 1,204 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 15 November to 31 March, for up to 10 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 194 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Ales has 4 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 1 grocery shop.

The data shows no healthcare facilities within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.6 per 1,000 residents.

Public transport

We do not yet have open public transport timetables for this municipality: the report says so explicitly, without inventing distances.

How built-up it is

Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 3.9% of the land in Ales, compared with 3.4% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Ales is one of the municipalities designated as a radon priority area by the Regione Sardegna in 2022. According to the ISPRA map, the estimated radon emission in the municipality is medium. Radon varies from building to building and can only be known by measuring it, especially on ground floors and in basements.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Ales: the report checks the address against the ISPRA maps.

House prices

The Revenue Agency's price ranges per square metre (OMI) apply to zones, not to whole municipalities: the report gives the range for the address's zone.

Land registry

The cadastral maps for Ales are public: from the address the report finds the sheet and parcel number.

Liveability area by area

The Vicinalia liveability index runs from 0 to 100 and looks at the place, not the people who live there: services within walking distance, transport, green space, natural hazards, air, quiet, buildings and connection. Here it is worked out at the centre of each of the 8 inhabited census areas in Ales. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 72 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 0.4%
  • good 99.6%

Vicinalia index by census area, licence CC BY-SA 4.0. Data: IdroGEO ISPRA (2026), Istat, INGV, EEA, AGCOM, Overture Maps and OpenStreetMap.

The colour is the value at the centre of the area. For an exact address, search for it above: the free check looks at that exact point. How the index is worked out

Data sources

ISTAT code 115004. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.