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Capistrello: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of L'Aquila, Abruzzo. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Capistrello

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 Roma 1, Capistrello.

Capistrello, Claudius's tunnel and the Roveto valley

Below Capistrello emerges the tunnel that the Romans, under Emperor Claudius, dug to drain Lake Fucino towards the river Liri. The underground channels and the tunnel mouth can still be visited today. The town lies at about 730 metres on the western edge of the Marsica area, where the Fucino plain gives way to the Roveto and Liri valleys. Avezzano, with its services, hospital and jobs, is a few minutes' drive away.

Capistrello has a station on the Avezzano-Roccasecca railway and lies close to the dual carriageway linking the Marsica to Sora and southern Lazio. People buying here often do so for the prices, lower than in Avezzano, accepting village life and cold winters (climate zone E). Houses in the centre stand on a slope and often have several floors and stepped access.

The population is falling: 4,730 residents in 2023, 611 fewer than in 2011, a drop of 11.4%. The average age is 49.0, above the province of L'Aquila (47.5), and over-65s make up 27.9%. Foreign residents account for 4.8%. Incomes are in line with the provincial average.

Seismic hazard is the main issue. The Marsica was devastated by the 1915 earthquake, and Capistrello is now in zone 1, the highest, along with 102 other municipalities in the province. The expected ground acceleration is about 0.218 g. For any house built before current rules, ask whether seismic improvement work has been done and with what paperwork. The report adds the landslide maps for the slopes.

Key points

  • Outlet of the Roman Fucino drainage tunnel, near Avezzano.
  • Seismic zone 1, expected acceleration about 0.218 g.
  • 4,730 residents, down 11.4% since 2011.
  • Station on the Avezzano-Roccasecca railway.

Overview

Capistrello is a municipality in the province of L'Aquila, in Abruzzo. At the end of 2023 it had 4,730 residents, among the most populous in the province (11 of 108).

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Capistrello is in seismic zone 1, the highest-risk zone, where very strong earthquakes are possible. Most municipalities in the province (103 of 108) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.218 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Capistrello, the building matters a great deal: ask for the design year, whether it met the 2008 seismic standards, and whether any seismic retrofit has been carried out.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has fallen by 11.4%. The estimated average age is 49 years, in line with the province. 28% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 26%). Foreign residents make up 4.8% of the population. On average, a household has 2.3 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Capistrello declared an average taxable income of 22,585 euros, in line with the province (22,903 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Capistrello is in climate zone E, with 2,774 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 734 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Capistrello has 4 schools and 2 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 4 grocery shops and supermarkets and 2 sports facilities.

The data shows no healthcare facilities within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.6 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 3.6% of the land in Capistrello, compared with 3.2% in the province and 5.1% in the region. In 2024 built-up land grew by 0.9 hectares.

Radon and contaminated sites

Official databases list one contaminated site, or site still under investigation, in Capistrello. 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 Capistrello: 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 Capistrello 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 25 inhabited census areas in Capistrello. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 58 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 1.9%
  • fair 98.1%

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 066020. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.