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Baricella: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of Bologna, Emilia-Romagna. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Baricella

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 Savena Vecchia 1, Baricella.

Baricella, reclaimed land north-east of Bologna

Wide fields, straight canals, old farmhouses and small settlements far apart: Baricella's landscape is that of the low Bologna plain north-east of the city, towards Ferrara, land won from the marshes through centuries of drainage work. The town hall stands about ten metres above sea level, and the landscape is flat to the horizon.

Buyers come here for space at lower prices than in Bologna's commuter belt. There are houses in the village, newer detached homes and farms with old farmhouses to restore, which need serious work and cost a lot to heat in climate zone E. For work, many drive towards Bologna or neighbouring towns along the provincial roads. Services are basic: 32 recorded in all, with bars, restaurants and healthcare facilities much sparser than the metropolitan average.

The population has grown by 5.4% since 2011, reaching 7,129 residents at the end of 2023 according to Istat, the national statistics office. The average age of 46.0 is slightly below the metropolitan figure (46.6), and over-65s make up 23.0%. Foreign residents account for 14.7%, a high share. Declared incomes are well below the Bologna average.

The plain has its earthquakes too. Baricella is in seismic zone 3 on the Civil Protection scale, like 43 of the 55 municipalities around Bologna, with an expected ground acceleration of about 0.160 g, not negligible for a lowland town. In brick farmhouses, have the walls, floors and roof checked, as they are often the weak points of these buildings.

Water remains the main issue. On reclaimed land, drainage depends on canals and pumping stations, and flood hazard is not the same everywhere; the report checks the official maps for the address. The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes cadastral maps here, so the report can go from the address to the plot.

Key points

  • Reclaimed plain north-east of Bologna.
  • Population up 5.4% since 2011, foreign residents 14.7%.
  • Seismic zone 3, expected acceleration about 0.160 g.
  • Old farmhouses: check walls, floors and roof.

Overview

Baricella is a municipality in the province of Bologna, in Emilia-Romagna. At the end of 2023 it had 7,129 residents, ranked 31 of 55 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Baricella is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. Most municipalities in the province (43 of 55) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.160 g, a medium-high 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 grown by 5.4%. The estimated average age is 46 years, in line with the province. 23% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 25%). Foreign residents make up 14.7% of the population. On average, a household has 2.3 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Baricella declared an average taxable income of 24,014 euros, below the provincial average (29,157 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Baricella is in climate zone E, with 2,172 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 11 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Baricella has 4 schools and 2 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 2 grocery shops and supermarkets, 1 healthcare facility, 6 sports facilities and 1 green area.

There are 0.1 healthcare facilities per 1,000 residents, fewer than the province average (0.8).

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 7.0% of the land in Baricella, compared with 9.0% in the province and 9.0% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Baricella is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Emilia-Romagna in 2026. 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 open contaminated sites in Baricella; one has been cleaned up or closed.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Baricella: 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 Baricella 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 42 inhabited census areas in Baricella. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 62 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 9.9%
  • fair 51.8%
  • good 38.3%

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 037003. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.