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Ballao: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Ballao

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 Cagliari 1, Ballao.

Ballao, a Gerrei village on the Flumendosa

The Flumendosa, one of Sardinia's main rivers, runs past Ballao, in the Gerrei, an area of hills and low mountains north-east of Cagliari. The village sits on the valley floor at around a hundred metres, with scrub-covered hills all around. Distances from larger towns are noticeable: for hospitals, secondary schools and work you need to allow for drives on inland roads.

The climate is mild, climate zone B, with short winters and hot summers. Houses are mostly one or two-storey village homes, sometimes with a courtyard. Being close to the river is the first thing to check: the report reads the official flood maps for the exact address, along with the landslide maps for the slopes, and measures the elevation and gradient of the ground.

The population has fallen considerably. At the end of 2023 there were 719 residents, 158 fewer than in 2011, a drop of 18.0%. Over-65s make up 34.4%, against 25.7% in the province, and the average age reaches 51.9 (48.1 in the province). There are few foreign residents, 1.1%. Average declared income is below the provincial average.

The earthquake picture is calm: the 70 municipalities of the province are all in seismic zone 4, and the expected ground acceleration in Ballao is about 0.050 g. In an old house, focus on the roof, damp and the wiring and plumbing.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes the municipality's cadastral maps, so the report can trace an address to its land parcel.

Key points

  • Valley-floor village on the Flumendosa, in the Gerrei.
  • Residents down 18.0% since 2011.
  • Over-65s at 34.4%, against 25.7% in the province.
  • Seismic zone 4, like the whole province.

Overview

Ballao is a municipality in the province of Cagliari, in Sardegna. At the end of 2023 it had 719 residents, among the smallest in the province (65 of 70).

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Ballao is in seismic zone 4, the lowest-risk zone, where strong earthquakes are very rare. All 70 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 18.0%. The estimated average age is 52 years, higher than the province average (48). 34% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 27%). Foreign residents make up 1.1% of the population. On average, a household has 2.1 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Ballao declared an average taxable income of 16,496 euros, below the provincial average (19,085 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Ballao is in climate zone B, with 833 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 1 December to 31 March, for up to 8 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 98 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Ballao has 2 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 1 green area.

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 1.1% of the land in Ballao, compared with 3.4% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Ballao 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 Ballao: 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 Ballao 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 7 inhabited census areas in Ballao. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 63 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 98.9%
  • good 1.1%

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 118003. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.