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Ardesio: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Ardesio

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 Antonio Locatelli 1, Ardesio.

Ardesio, the Serio and the slopes of upper Val Seriana

Ardesio lies in the upper Val Seriana, along the river Serio, where the valley narrows and villages are spread between the valley floor and wooded slopes. The town hall stands at around 600 metres, but the municipality climbs a long way towards pastures and higher hamlets. Across the Bergamo area the village is known for the sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie in the old centre, a place of pilgrimage.

Buying here means choosing a genuine mountain village, with cold winters (climate zone E) and everyday services on hand, while for hospital care, secondary schools and work many people head down towards Clusone, the middle valley and Bergamo, by car or bus. The market ranges from stone houses in the hamlets to newer detached homes and flats in small blocks. On hillside houses, winter access, orientation and the condition of roofs and retaining walls are what matter.

Istat, the national statistics office, counted 3,308 residents in 2023, down 8.9% on 2011. The population is older than the provincial one: average age 47.5 against 45.2, over-65s at 26.0% against 22.5%. Foreign residents are 2.9%, a low share. Declared incomes are below the provincial average.

All 243 municipalities in the province of Bergamo are in seismic zone 3, a moderate level of hazard in the Civil Protection classification. In Ardesio the expected ground acceleration in the built-up area is about 0.074 g. For an old stone house, the useful question is whether floors and roof have been strengthened. For landslides and watercourses, the report checks the official maps at the exact address.

Key points

  • Upper Val Seriana village on the Serio, at around 600 metres.
  • 3,308 residents, down 8.9% since 2011.
  • Over-65s at 26.0%, above the provincial average.
  • Seismic zone 3 like all of Bergamo province, acceleration 0.074 g.

Overview

Ardesio is a municipality in the province of Bergamo, in Lombardia. At the end of 2023 it had 3,308 residents, ranked 116 of 243 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Ardesio is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. All 243 municipalities in the province are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.074 g, a moderate value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

Even in zone 3, seismic standards apply to new buildings: for an older building, ask about the design year and any structural work.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has fallen by 8.9%. The estimated average age is 47 years, higher than the province average (45). 26% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 24%). Foreign residents make up 2.9% of the population. On average, a household has 2.2 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Ardesio declared an average taxable income of 21,834 euros, below the provincial average (26,939 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Ardesio is in climate zone E, with 2,943 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 15 October to 15 April, for up to 14 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 608 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Ardesio has 3 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 1 grocery shop and 3 parks and green areas.

The data shows no healthcare facilities within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.5 per 1,000 residents.

Public transport

The open timetables available for the area do not list any stops within the territory of Ardesio.

How built-up it is

Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 1.7% of the land in Ardesio, compared with 12.0% in the province and 12.2% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Ardesio is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Lombardia in 2023. 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.

Official databases list no contaminated sites in Ardesio.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Ardesio: 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 Ardesio 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 33 inhabited census areas in Ardesio. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 67 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 37.6%
  • good 62.4%

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 016012. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.