Episcopia: what to know before buying a home
A municipality in the province of Potenza, Basilicata. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.
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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: Contrada Demanio 1, Episcopia.
Episcopia, in the Sinni valley of southern Basilicata
The Sinni valley crosses southern Basilicata from west to east towards the Ionian Sea, and Episcopia occupies a stretch of its upper part, with the village on a rise above the river and the mountains of the Lagonegro area and the Pollino all around. The valley's fast road, the Sinnica, links the area with the Ionian coast in one direction and the A2 motorway in the other. Potenza is a long way off, so for many services people rely on the nearby towns in the valley.
In 2023 there were 1,267 residents, according to Istat, the national statistics office, down 13.6% on 2011. The average age is 48.7 against 47.3 in the province of Potenza, and over-65s are 29.5%, against 25.7%. Foreign residents make up 4.2%. Declared incomes are above the provincial average.
Buyers find village houses on several levels, some with views over the valley, and scattered homes with land in the countryside. The climate zone is D: winters are not too harsh, but the damp cold is felt in the hills and older houses should be checked for damp and insulation.
Earthquakes are the issue not to overlook. Episcopia is in seismic zone 1, the highest class, like 39 other municipalities in the province, with an expected ground acceleration in the village of 0.235 g. Always ask for the year of construction, the type of structure and documented upgrading work.
The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes cadastral maps, so the report reaches the land parcel. On the Sinni valley floor and the slopes, flooding and landslides are read for each address on the official maps, together with the slope of the ground.
Key points
- Upper Sinni valley village on the Sinnica road.
- Seismic zone 1, expected acceleration 0.235 g.
- Population down 13.6% since 2011.
- Over-65s at 29.5%, against 25.7% in the province.
Overview
Episcopia is a municipality in the province of Potenza, in Basilicata. At the end of 2023 it had 1,267 residents, ranked 67 of 100 municipalities in the province.
Earthquakes
For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Episcopia is in seismic zone 1, the highest-risk zone, where very strong earthquakes are possible. The region uses a finer breakdown: here the classification is 1b. Only 40 of 100 municipalities in the province are in zone 1.
In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.235 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.
For anyone buying in Episcopia, 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 13.6%. The estimated average age is 49 years, in line with the province. 30% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 25%). Foreign residents make up 4.2% of the population. On average, a household has 2.1 members.
Income and climate
In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Episcopia declared an average taxable income of 23,793 euros, above the provincial average (20,337 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.
Episcopia is in climate zone D, with 1,873 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 530 metres above sea level.
Services
In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Episcopia has 3 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 3 grocery shops and supermarkets.
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 2.9% of the land in Episcopia, compared with 3.5% in the province and 3.2% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.
Radon and contaminated sites
According to the ISPRA map, the estimated radon emission in the municipality is low. Radon varies from building to building and can only be known by measuring it, especially on ground floors and in basements.
Official databases list no contaminated sites in Episcopia.
Landslides and flooding
Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Episcopia: 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 Episcopia 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 15 inhabited census areas in Episcopia. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 58 or more.
Residents by band
- modest 2.1%
- fair 97.9%
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
- Seismic classification of municipalities, Dipartimento della Protezione Civile. Licence CC BY 4.0, updated to 2025-05.
- MPS04 seismic hazard model, INGV. Licence CC BY 4.0, 2004 model.
- Data by census section, Istat. Licence CC BY 4.0, residents at the end of 2023, compared with the 2011 census.
- Places, Overture Maps Foundation. Licence CDLA Permissive 2.0 and others depending on provider, release 2026-10-21.0.
- Income and main IRPEF variables by municipality, MEF, Dipartimento delle Finanze. Licence CC BY 3.0 IT, tax year 2024.
- Climate zones and heating degree days of municipalities (Presidential Decree 412/1993, Annex A), Normattiva. Licence CC BY 4.0, current text.
- Land take, territorial dynamics and ecosystem services, ISPRA e SNPA. Licence CC BY 4.0, 2024 data.
- Predictive radon map by municipality, ISPRA. Licence CC BY 4.0, version 2022-11.
- Contaminated sites, ISPRA, MOSAICO - Banca dati nazionale dei siti oggetto di procedimento di bonifica. Licence CC BY 4.0, updated to 12 November 2026.
- Liveability index by census area, Vicinalia, from the data in the report sections. Licence CC BY-SA 4.0, worked out on 30 September 2026.
- List of Italian municipalities, Istat. Licence CC BY 4.0, updated to 21 February 2026.
ISTAT code 076030. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.