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Ferno: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Ferno

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 G. Garibaldi 2, Ferno.

Ferno, the town next to Malpensa Terminal 1

In Ferno the airport lies within the municipal boundaries. Malpensa's Terminal 1 and part of the airport grounds lie within its boundaries, which explains why almost half of the land is built over or sealed. The town itself sits east of the airport, on the heathland of southern Varese province, between Gallarate and Busto Arsizio.

For buyers, the advantages and the drawbacks come from the same source. Jobs at the airport and in related businesses are minutes away, and trains to Milan leave from the Malpensa station: timetable data give the municipality 1 stop with 3 train lines and 1 bus line. On the other hand there is aircraft noise, which varies a lot from street to street depending on take-off and landing routes. Go and listen for yourself at different times of day before deciding.

At the end of 2023 there were 6,654 residents according to Istat, the national statistics office, down 1.9% since 2011. Estimated average age 46.1, over-65s at 23.5% and foreign residents at 7.7%: figures close to those of the province of Varese. Declared incomes are a little below the provincial average.

Earthquakes are not a concern here: all 136 municipalities in the province of Varese are in zone 4, the lowest in the Civil Protection classification, and expected ground acceleration is about 0.038 g. For a home, the sound insulation of the windows and the energy rating matter far more.

The report also checks flood hazard for the address and finds the plot on the Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps, which are published for the municipality.

Key points

  • Malpensa Terminal 1 lies within the municipality.
  • 1 stop with 3 train lines.
  • Aircraft noise: check it street by street.
  • Seismic zone 4, like the whole province of Varese.

Overview

Ferno is a municipality in the province of Varese, in Lombardia. At the end of 2023 it had 6,654 residents, ranked 34 of 136 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Ferno is in seismic zone 4, the lowest-risk zone, where strong earthquakes are very rare. All 136 municipalities in the province are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.038 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 fallen by 1.9%. The estimated average age is 46 years, in line with the province. 24% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 24%). Foreign residents make up 7.7% of the population. On average, a household has 2.4 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Ferno declared an average taxable income of 24,615 euros, below the provincial average (27,186 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Ferno is in climate zone E, with 2,840 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 211 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Ferno has 3 schools and 3 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 2 grocery shops and supermarkets, 2 healthcare facilities and 3 parks and green areas.

There are 0.3 healthcare facilities per 1,000 residents, fewer than the province average (0.7).

Public transport

Within the municipality there are 1 public transport stops, served by 3 train lines, 1 bus line. That is about 0.2 stops per 1,000 residents.

How built-up it is

Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 49.3% of the land in Ferno, compared with 21.1% in the province and 12.2% in the region. In 2024 built-up land grew by 1.1 hectares.

Radon and contaminated sites

Ferno is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Lombardia in 2023. According to the ISPRA map, the estimated radon emission in the municipality is medium. 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 open contaminated sites in Ferno; one has been cleaned up or closed.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Ferno: 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 Ferno 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 16 inhabited census areas in Ferno. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 63 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 0.0%
  • fair 55.6%
  • good 44.4%

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 012068. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.