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Como: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Como

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 Bellinzona 1, Como.

Como, at the tip of the lake

Como sits at the southern tip of the south-western arm of Lake Como, hemmed in by mountains and right next to the Swiss border. It is the home town of Alessandro Volta, remembered in the Tempio Voltiano on the lakefront, and for centuries its economy revolved around silk. Today the lake and the walled old town draw visitors from all over the world, something the services data reflect in their own way: there are 590 bars and restaurants, or 7.1 per 1,000 residents against 4.5 across the province.

At the end of 2023 Como had 83,586 residents, 1.9% more than in 2011 and 14.0% of the province's population. The estimated average age is 46.9, and 25.6% of residents are over 65, above the Lombardy average of 23.5%. Foreign nationals make up 14.3% of the population, and households average 2 people.

Seismic hazard is among the lowest in Italy. The municipality is in zone 4, the lowest class, like all 147 municipalities in the province, and expected ground acceleration in the built-up area is about 0.041 g.

As the provincial capital, Como gathers many of the area's services, with 102 schools and 97 healthcare facilities, above the provincial rate per head. Trenord's open timetables list 6 stops within the municipality, served by 8 train lines. The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes cadastral maps, so the report can find the sheet and parcel numbers from the address. Between the lakeshore, mountain streams and the slopes rising straight behind the town, flood and landslide hazard varies a lot from one spot to the next: the report checks it for each address and gives prices as a range for the zone.

Key points

  • 83,586 residents, up 1.9% since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 4 across all 147 municipalities in the province.
  • Bars and restaurants: 7.1 per 1,000 residents against 4.5 provincially.
  • 6 Trenord stops in the municipality, served by 8 train lines.

Overview

Como is the capital of the province of Como, in Lombardia. At the end of 2023 it had 83,586 residents, the most populous municipality in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Como is in seismic zone 4, the lowest-risk zone, where strong earthquakes are very rare. All 147 municipalities in the province are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.041 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 1.9%. The estimated average age is 47 years, in line with the province. 26% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 24%). Foreign residents make up 14.3% of the population. On average, a household has 2.1 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Como declared an average taxable income of 28,983 euros, above the provincial average (26,761 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Como is in climate zone E, with 2,228 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 201 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Como has 102 schools and 27 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 36 grocery shops and supermarkets, 97 healthcare facilities, 79 sports facilities and 14 parks and green areas.

There are 1.2 healthcare facilities per 1,000 residents, more than the province average (0.6).

Public transport

Within the municipality there are 6 public transport stops, served by 8 train lines, 1 bus line. That is about 0.1 stops per 1,000 residents.

How built-up it is

Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 32.3% of the land in Como, compared with 12.3% in the province and 12.2% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Como 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 13 contaminated sites, or sites still under investigation, in Como, and 22 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 Como: 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 Como 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 768 inhabited census areas in Como. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 76 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 5.8%
  • good 59.9%
  • very good 28.9%
  • excellent 5.4%

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 013075. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.