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Furnari: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Furnari

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 Vittorio Emanuele 1, Furnari.

Furnari, from the hill village to the Portorosa marina

Furnari is split between hill and sea. The old village stands on a rise a short way inland from the Tyrrhenian coast of the province of Messina, between Milazzo and Patti; below, on the shore, is Portorosa, the marina with flats and holiday homes built around the canals of its harbour.

These are two different markets. On the coast, second homes dominate, used mainly in summer; on the hill and the plain, houses are lived in all year round. For each address, the report shows the area's price band according to the Revenue Agency's property market observatory (OMI).

In 2023 there were 4,178 residents, up 14.0% since 2011. The average age is 45.3 against 46.7 in the province, over-65s make up 23.2% and foreign residents 9.6%. Average declared incomes are below the provincial average.

The province of Messina has 17 municipalities in seismic zone 1 and 91 in zone 2 of the Civil Protection Department's classification, including Furnari, where the expected ground acceleration is about 0.197 g, a high value. For a flat by the sea, ask for the design date and the condition of the reinforced concrete, which salt air can damage; for older houses on the hill, get the structure checked.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps are published. Streams coming down from the mountains behind and the low strip near the sea should be checked for flooding, and slopes for landslides: the report does this for the address.

Key points

  • Hill village plus the Portorosa marina on the coast.
  • Up 14.0% since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 2, expected ground acceleration about 0.197 g.
  • By the sea: check salt damage and concrete condition.

Overview

Furnari is a municipality in the province of Messina, in Sicilia. At the end of 2023 it had 4,178 residents, ranked 27 of 108 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Furnari is in seismic zone 2, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible. Most municipalities in the province (91 of 108) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.197 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Furnari, 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 14.0%. The estimated average age is 45 years, in line with the province. 23% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 23%). Foreign residents make up 9.6% of the population. On average, a household has 1.9 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Furnari declared an average taxable income of 17,490 euros, below the provincial average (20,687 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Furnari is in climate zone B, with 874 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 1 December to 31 March, for up to 8 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 145 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Furnari has 5 schools and 2 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 4 grocery shops and supermarkets, 1 healthcare facility, 3 sports facilities and 1 green area.

There are 0.2 healthcare facilities per 1,000 residents, fewer than the province average (0.8).

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 20.4% of the land in Furnari, compared with 6.0% in the province and 6.6% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Official databases list no contaminated sites in Furnari.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Furnari: 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 Furnari 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 39 inhabited census areas in Furnari. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 65 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 10.8%
  • fair 31.8%
  • good 57.4%

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 083028. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.