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Busto Arsizio: 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 Busto Arsizio

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 Quintino Sella 1, Busto Arsizio.

Busto Arsizio, a cotton town next to Malpensa

Busto Arsizio is the most populous municipality in the province of Varese, larger than Varese itself, and home to 9.5% of the province's residents. Its wealth came from cotton and textiles: many historic mills have become shops, offices or sites awaiting a new use, while others still operate. It sits in the Alto Milanese area on the border with the province of Milan, about a quarter of an hour by road from Malpensa airport.

For anyone working in Milan, the railway is the strong point. In the timetables published as open data the town has 3 stops served by 7 rail lines and 3 bus lines, with both Ferrovie Nord trains towards Saronno and Malpensa and trains on the Gallarate line. Drivers have the A8 Autostrada dei Laghi close by.

Beyond the centre, Sacconago and Borsano, once separate villages, keep a village feel. Restored courtyard houses stand alongside post-war blocks, where insulation and the heating system often matter more than location. A lot of the land is built on and public green space is scarce, so a private garden makes a real difference.

At the end of 2023 there were 83,372 residents, up 4.6% since 2011 according to Istat, the national statistics office. The average age (46.6) matches the province, over-65s make up 24.9% and foreign residents 10.7%. Average declared incomes are slightly above the provincial figure.

Earthquakes are a minor concern here. All 136 municipalities in the province are in seismic zone 4, the lowest on Italy's four-step scale, and expected ground acceleration is about 0.038 g. Winters are cold (climate zone E), so in a 1960s or 1970s flat look first at the energy rating and heating costs.

Key points

  • The largest municipality in the province of Varese, ahead of Varese itself.
  • 3 stops and 7 rail lines in the open timetables.
  • 83,372 residents, up 4.6% since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 4, like the whole province: low hazard.

Overview

Busto Arsizio is a municipality in the province of Varese, in Lombardia. At the end of 2023 it had 83,372 residents, the most populous municipality in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Busto Arsizio 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 resident population has grown by 4.6%. 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 10.7% of the population. On average, a household has 2.2 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Busto Arsizio declared an average taxable income of 28,689 euros, above the provincial average (27,186 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Busto Arsizio is in climate zone E, with 2,861 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 226 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Busto Arsizio has 70 schools and 23 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 28 grocery shops and supermarkets, 80 healthcare facilities, 74 sports facilities and 11 parks and green areas.

There are 1.0 healthcare facilities per 1,000 residents, more than the province average (0.7).

Public transport

Within the municipality there are 3 public transport stops, served by 7 train lines, 3 bus lines. That is about 0.0 stops per 1,000 residents.

How built-up it is

Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 50.2% of the land in Busto Arsizio, compared with 21.1% in the province and 12.2% in the region. In 2024 built-up land grew by 7.1 hectares.

Radon and contaminated sites

Busto Arsizio 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 one contaminated site, or site still under investigation, in Busto Arsizio, and 33 more have been cleaned up or closed. The report tells you whether one is close to the address.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Busto Arsizio: 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 Busto Arsizio 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 168 inhabited census areas in Busto Arsizio. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 73 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 5.5%
  • good 77.4%
  • very good 16.4%
  • excellent 0.6%

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 012026. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.