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Besnate: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Besnate

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 Giosue' Carducci 1, Besnate.

Besnate, moraine hills between Gallarate and Malpensa

On the glacial moraine hills north of Gallarate, at around 300 metres, Besnate mixes woods and meadows with residential streets and business areas. It lies in the southern part of the province of Varese, with Malpensa airport a few kilometres to the west and Varese further north.

A real advantage for commuters is the railway station. The published timetables show 2 rail lines stopping at Besnate, and Gallarate, the main rail junction for Milan, is a few minutes away. Many towns in the area have no station at all. Otherwise, people get around by car. Homes are mostly detached houses and small blocks of flats, with a few old courtyard buildings in the historic core.

At the end of 2023 Besnate had 5,467 residents, practically the same as in 2011 (5,464). The average age, 46.6, and the share of over-65s, 24.7%, also mirror the province. Foreign residents make up 4.9%. Average declared incomes are close to the provincial average, slightly above it.

Earthquakes are not a concern: all 136 municipalities in the province of Varese are in seismic zone 4, the lowest in the national classification, and the expected ground acceleration is about 0.038 g. In older houses, insulation, heating and electrics, and damp matter far more.

The hilly terrain has small streams and hollows. The report checks flooding and landslides for the individual address and uses the Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps, which are published here too.

Key points

  • Moraine hills north of Gallarate, close to Malpensa.
  • Station in town: 2 rail lines in the timetables.
  • 5,467 residents, stable since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 4, like the whole province of Varese.

Overview

Besnate is a municipality in the province of Varese, in Lombardia. At the end of 2023 it had 5,467 residents, ranked 41 of 136 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Besnate is in seismic zone 4, the lowest-risk zone, where strong earthquakes are very rare. All 136 municipalities in the province are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.038 g, a low 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 number of residents is nearly unchanged. The estimated average age is 47 years, in line with the province. 25% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 24%). Foreign residents make up 4.9% of the population. On average, a household has 2.3 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Besnate declared an average taxable income of 27,683 euros, in line with the province (27,186 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Besnate is in climate zone E, with 2,761 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 300 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Besnate has 3 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 1 grocery shop, 2 healthcare facilities, 3 sports facilities and 1 green area.

There are 0.2 grocery shops and supermarkets per 1,000 residents, fewer than the province average (0.4).

Public transport

Within the municipality there are 1 public transport stops, served by 2 train lines, 1 bus line. That is about 0.2 stops per 1,000 residents.

How built-up it is

Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 21.0% of the land in Besnate, compared with 21.1% in the province and 12.2% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Besnate is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Lombardia in 2023. 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 Besnate; 2 have been cleaned up or closed.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Besnate: 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 Besnate 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 Besnate. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 69 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 16.5%
  • good 83.5%

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 012012. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.