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Arzana: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Arzana

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 Sardegna 1, Arzana.

Arzana, from Ogliastra up towards the Gennargentu

Arzana is a mountain village in Ogliastra, on the eastern side of Sardinia, built at around 670 metres. Its territory is very large and climbs towards the Gennargentu massif, with woodland, pasture and upland plateaux. The coast at Tortolì and the town of Lanusei, the main centres of the area, are reached by car along winding mountain roads.

The village has a dense core of stone houses alongside homes built in the second half of the twentieth century, often on several floors and set into the slope. What matters to a buyer is how steep the streets are, whether you can park near the house and the state of the roof, since winters at this height are cold and damp. Pharmacies and supermarkets may mean a trip to nearby villages: the report measures real distances from the address.

According to Istat, the national statistics office, there were 2,215 residents in 2023, down 11.4% since 2011. The average age is 47.3, slightly below 47.9 for the province, and over-65s make up 26.3%. Foreign nationals account for 1.2%. Declared incomes are in line with the provincial average.

Earthquake risk is low: all 23 municipalities in Ogliastra are in seismic zone 4, with expected ground acceleration of 0.050 g. In old mountain houses the usual costs are roofs, insulation and heating systems.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes cadastral maps here: the report traces the land parcel from the address and checks the official landslide and flood maps for that exact spot.

Key points

  • Mountain village in Ogliastra, around 670 metres up.
  • Large territory rising towards the Gennargentu.
  • Population down 11.4% since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 4, like all of Ogliastra.

Overview

Arzana is a municipality in the province of Ogliastra, in Sardegna. At the end of 2023 it had 2,215 residents, ranked 8 of 23 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Arzana is in seismic zone 4, the lowest-risk zone, where strong earthquakes are very rare. All 23 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 11.4%. The estimated average age is 47 years, in line with the province. 26% 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 Arzana declared an average taxable income of 19,484 euros, in line with the province (19,512 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Arzana is in climate zone D, with 1,683 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 1 November to 15 April, for up to 12 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 672 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Arzana has 3 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 1 healthcare facility, 1 sports facility and 2 parks and green areas.

The data shows no grocery shops and supermarkets within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.7 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 1.0% of the land in Arzana, compared with 3.4% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Arzana 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 Arzana: 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 Arzana 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 20 inhabited census areas in Arzana. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 68 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 42.7%
  • good 57.3%

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 116001. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.