Francavilla in Sinni: 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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Search for an address in Francavilla in Sinni
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 Matteo Cosentino 1, Francavilla in Sinni.
Francavilla in Sinni, the Sinni valley on the edge of the Pollino
The Sinni valley crosses southern Basilicata from the Pollino massif down to the Ionian Sea, and Francavilla in Sinni occupies a central stretch of it, at around four hundred metres, on the slope overlooking the river. Behind it rise the Pollino mountains; in front, the valley opens out with fields, orchards and small business areas. The valley road, known as the Sinnica, links the town to the A2 motorway in one direction and to the Ionian coast in the other.
For the surrounding villages, Francavilla is a reference point for shops and services. Buyers will find an old centre of masonry houses built against one another, often on several floors, and newer districts of small blocks and detached houses towards the valley. Average declared incomes are below the average for the province of Potenza.
At the end of 2023 there were 3,875 residents, down 9.5% from 4,282 in 2011. The population is a little younger than the provincial average: an average age of 45.8 against 47.3, and over-65s at 24.4% against 25.7%. Foreign residents account for 3.8%.
Earthquakes are the most serious issue. Francavilla is in seismic zone 2, like 59 municipalities in the province, while 40 are in zone 1. The expected ground acceleration in the built-up area is about 0.179 g. Anyone buying in a masonry building, or in a block built before recent standards, should ask about structural assessments and the work carried out.
The Sinni valley has many clay slopes, and in flood the river spreads over a very wide bed. Landslides and flooding are checked for the individual address, and the report does this, also using the Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps to find the plot.
Key points
- Sinni valley, in southern Basilicata below the Pollino.
- 3,875 residents, down 9.5% since 2011.
- Seismic zone 2, expected acceleration of about 0.179 g.
- Clay slopes and a wide riverbed: check landslides and floods.
Overview
Francavilla in Sinni is a municipality in the province of Potenza, in Basilicata. At the end of 2023 it had 3,875 residents, ranked 22 of 100 municipalities in the province.
Earthquakes
For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Francavilla in Sinni is in seismic zone 2, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible. The region uses a finer breakdown: here the classification is 2b. Most municipalities in the province (59 of 100) are in the same zone.
In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.179 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.
For anyone buying in Francavilla in Sinni, 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 9.5%. The estimated average age is 46 years, in line with the province. 24% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 25%). Foreign residents make up 3.8% of the population. On average, a household has 2.2 members.
Income and climate
In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Francavilla in Sinni declared an average taxable income of 17,403 euros, below the provincial average (20,337 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.
Francavilla in Sinni is in climate zone D, with 1,674 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 421 metres above sea level.
Services
In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Francavilla in Sinni has 4 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 2 grocery shops and supermarkets, 1 sports facility and 2 parks and green areas.
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 2.2% of the land in Francavilla in Sinni, 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 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 Francavilla in Sinni.
Landslides and flooding
Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Francavilla in Sinni: 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 Francavilla in Sinni 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 8 inhabited census areas in Francavilla in Sinni. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 63 or more.
Residents by band
- fair 100.0%
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 076034. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.