Skip to content
Vicinalia
Italiano Sign up

Francica: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of Vibo Valentia, Calabria. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Francica

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: Corso Italia 1, Francica.

Francica, hill country inland from Vibo Valentia

Francica is a village in the hills inland from Vibo Valentia, with a population younger than the provincial average. Its land spreads among olive groves, fields and low rises, with the provincial capital close by for offices, secondary schools and the hospital. The Tyrrhenian coast, from Pizzo to Tropea, is reached by car.

The climate is mild (climate zone C) and homes are mostly family houses on several floors, built and extended over time, with some older houses in the historic core. For buyers the first check is compliance: added floors, enclosed verandas and unfinished parts need comparing with the permits at the town hall and the cadastral floor plan. Then come the structure, the heating and electrics and leaks from the roof.

Istat, the national statistics office, counts 1,605 residents in 2023, down 3.5% since 2011. The average age is 42.2, below the provincial 45.5; over-65s make up 20.6% and households average 2.58 people. Foreign residents account for 3.8%, and declared incomes are below the provincial average.

All 50 municipalities in the province of Vibo Valentia are in seismic zone 1, and in Francica the expected ground acceleration is 0.269 g. Central Calabria has a history of strong earthquakes, so for any house ask to see the structural design filed with the authorities and, for an older building, whether it has been strengthened.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes the cadastral maps, and the report works back from the address to the land parcel, reading gradient and the official landslide and flood maps for that spot.

Key points

  • Hills inland from Vibo Valentia, with the coast a drive away.
  • Young population: average age of 42.2.
  • All 50 municipalities in the province in seismic zone 1.
  • Extensions and unfinished parts to check against permits.

Overview

Francica is a municipality in the province of Vibo Valentia, in Calabria. At the end of 2023 it had 1,605 residents, ranked 31 of 50 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Francica is in seismic zone 1, the highest-risk zone, where very strong earthquakes are possible. All 50 municipalities in the province are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.269 g, a high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Francica, 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 3.5%. The estimated average age is 42 years, lower than the province average (46). 21% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 24%). Foreign residents make up 3.8% of the population. On average, a household has 2.6 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Francica declared an average taxable income of 14,504 euros, below the provincial average (17,878 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Francica is in climate zone C, with 1,262 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 322 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Francica has 3 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 1 grocery shop.

The data shows no healthcare facilities within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.4 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 3.8% of the land in Francica, compared with 5.9% in the province and 5.1% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Official databases list no contaminated sites in Francica.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Francica: 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 Francica 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 10 inhabited census areas in Francica. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 56 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 0.3%
  • fair 99.7%

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 102015. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.