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Forio: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Forio

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 Provinciale Panza 1, Forio.

Forio, the western side of Ischia below Monte Epomeo

Forio covers the western side of Ischia, one of the island's six municipalities, and climbs from the sea to the slopes of Monte Epomeo. The old centre is packed onto a headland with the Torrione watchtower and the white church of the Soccorso facing the water; around it are beaches such as Citara and San Francesco, thermal parks and the La Mortella gardens. Ferries and hydrofoils run from Naples and Pozzuoli, and on the island itself the roads are narrow and often busy in summer.

The housing market lives on tourism. Many properties are let in summer or used as second homes, and in winter the island slows down. For buyers on Ischia, the first check is whether the building is legal: over the years a great many applications for planning amnesty (condono) have been filed, and not all have been settled. Before signing, have a surveyor check the building permits, any pending amnesty applications, landscape restrictions and whether the property matches its registered floor plans.

In 2023 there were 17,477 residents, 5.3% more than in 2011, an increase of 880. The estimated average age, 43.7, is close to that of the metropolitan area of Naples (43.2); over-65s make up 19.6% and foreign residents 9.5%. Declared incomes are below the provincial average.

Ischia is a volcanic island with shallow earthquakes: the 2017 quake struck Casamicciola, on the north side. Under the zones set by Italy's Civil Protection Department, 76 municipalities in the province are in zone 2 like Forio and 16 in zone 3, and here expected ground acceleration in the built-up area is about 0.142 g. For a house extended over time, perhaps with added rooms or floors, ask for a structural check before making an offer.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps are published, and the report finds the plot from the address. Since the 2022 landslide at Casamicciola, the risk on the slopes of Epomeo is well known: landslides and mudflows are checked for the address, as is exposure to storm waves along the coast.

Key points

  • Western side of Ischia, from the sea to the slopes of Epomeo.
  • First check: building legality and pending amnesty applications.
  • Population up 5.3% since 2011; foreign residents 9.5%.
  • Seismic zone 2, expected acceleration about 0.142 g.

Overview

Forio is a municipality in the province of Napoli, in Campania. At the end of 2023 it had 17,477 residents, ranked 42 of 92 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Forio is in seismic zone 2, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible. Most municipalities in the province (76 of 92) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.142 g, a moderate value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Forio, 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 grown by 5.3%. The estimated average age is 44 years, in line with the province. 20% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 21%). Foreign residents make up 9.5% of the population. On average, a household has 2.1 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Forio declared an average taxable income of 19,853 euros, below the provincial average (21,545 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Forio is in climate zone C, with 1,069 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 18 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Forio has 15 schools and 4 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 16 grocery shops and supermarkets, 2 healthcare facilities, 15 sports facilities and 5 parks and green areas.

There are 0.1 healthcare facilities per 1,000 residents, fewer than the province average (0.6).

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 39.4% of the land in Forio, compared with 34.9% in the province and 10.6% 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 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 contaminated sites in Forio.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Forio: 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 Forio 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 74 inhabited census areas in Forio. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 65 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 4.2%
  • fair 41.8%
  • good 53.9%

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

ISTAT code 063031. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.