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Craco: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Craco

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 Alcide de Gasperi 1, Craco.

Craco, clay hills inland from Matera

Between Matera and the Ionian coast lies a landscape of clay hills, fields and calanchi, pale gullied slopes carved by erosion. Craco is in the middle of this land, at around four hundred metres, in open countryside with few towns.

The municipality has a main centre and scattered country houses, many linked to farming. Buyers should know that services are few, and that for the hospital, secondary schools and bigger shops you drive towards the larger towns of the province or to Matera; the Ionian coast and its beaches are within driving distance. Winters are mild (climate zone D) and summers hot and dry.

There were 592 residents in 2023, 174 fewer than in 2011, a fall of 22.7%. The average age is 47.6, against 46.3 in the province of Matera, and over-65s make up 27.7% of residents. Households average 1.83 people, and declared incomes are below the provincial average.

Craco is in seismic zone 3, like 13 other municipalities in the province, with an expected ground acceleration of around 0.097 g. The hazard is moderate; for an older house it is still worth asking about the state of the structure and the work done.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps are available, and the report traces the address to its land parcel. On clay ground, soil stability deserves a careful look: the report looks up the house on the official landslide maps, and an on-site survey is a sensible addition.

Key points

  • Clay hills and calanchi between Matera and the Ionian coast.
  • 592 residents in 2023, down 22.7% since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 3, expected acceleration around 0.097 g.
  • Ground stability to check house by house.

Overview

Craco is a municipality in the province of Matera, in Basilicata. At the end of 2023 it had 592 residents, among the smallest in the province (29 of 31).

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Craco is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. The region uses a finer breakdown: here the classification is 3a. Only 14 of 31 municipalities in the province are in zone 3.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.097 g, a moderate value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

Even in zone 3, seismic standards apply to new buildings: for an older building, ask about the design year and any structural work.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has fallen by 22.7%. The estimated average age is 48 years, in line with the province. 28% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 25%). Foreign residents make up 4.6% of the population. On average, a household has 1.8 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Craco declared an average taxable income of 14,586 euros, below the provincial average (19,958 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Craco is in climate zone D, with 1,655 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 1 November to 15 April, for up to 12 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 391 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Craco has 3 schools and 1 pharmacy.

The data shows no grocery shops and supermarkets within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.7 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 Craco, compared with 2.7% in the province and 3.2% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Official databases list no contaminated sites in Craco.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Craco: 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 Craco 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 12 inhabited census areas in Craco. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 69 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 9.9%
  • good 90.1%

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 077007. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.