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Caronia: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Caronia

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 Benedetto Brin 1, Caronia.

Caronia, between the Nebrodi woods and the Tyrrhenian coast

Caronia's territory runs from the Tyrrhenian Sea up to the heights of the Nebrodi mountains, and it contains two quite different places. The old town is on a hill, at around 300 metres, with stone houses and uphill streets; on the coast lies the hamlet of Marina di Caronia, which grew along the coast road with newer houses, many used in summer. Behind them stretch the woods of the Nebrodi Park.

House hunters first need to choose between town and seaside. On the hill there are family homes, often needing renovation, and a quieter way of life; at the marina, detached houses and flats near the sea that are easier to reach. For work and larger services people look to the towns on the Tyrrhenian coast between Messina and Palermo. Along the coastal strip and near the streams coming down from the Nebrodi, it helps to read the flood maps the report checks for the address; on the slopes, the landslide maps.

According to Istat, the national statistics office, there were 3,001 residents in 2023, down 13.3% since 2011. The average age is 47.3, close to the provincial 46.7, with over-65s at 25.3% and foreign nationals at 1.6%. Declared incomes are well below the provincial average.

Caronia is in seismic zone 2 of the Civil Protection classification, with an expected ground acceleration of 0.175 g. The province of Messina is a high-risk area, so for stone houses in the old town ask whether walls and roofs have been strengthened; for detached houses at the marina, ask the year of construction and whether seismic standards were followed.

Key points

  • From the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Nebrodi woods.
  • Hill town and coastal hamlet, two different markets.
  • 3,001 residents, down 13.3% since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 2, expected acceleration 0.175 g.

Overview

Caronia is a municipality in the province of Messina, in Sicilia. At the end of 2023 it had 3,001 residents, ranked 38 of 108 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Caronia is in seismic zone 2, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible. Most municipalities in the province (91 of 108) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.175 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Caronia, 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 13.3%. The estimated average age is 47 years, in line with the province. 25% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 23%). Foreign residents make up 1.6% of the population. On average, a household has 2.0 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Caronia declared an average taxable income of 17,017 euros, below the provincial average (20,687 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Caronia is in climate zone C, with 1,146 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 15 November to 31 March, for up to 10 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 304 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Caronia has 6 schools and 2 pharmacies.

The data shows no grocery shops and supermarkets 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 1.4% of the land in Caronia, compared with 6.0% in the province and 6.6% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Official databases list no contaminated sites in Caronia.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Caronia: 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 Caronia 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 37 inhabited census areas in Caronia. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 57 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 24.7%
  • fair 62.0%
  • good 13.3%

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 083011. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.