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Genova: what to know before buying a home

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

Search for an address in Genova

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 Dante 7, Milan.

Genova, a city built upwards

In Genova (Genoa) only a few kilometres separate the sea from the mountains, so the city has grown lengthways along the coast and upwards on the slopes: hairpin roads, public lifts, funiculars and, in the old town, the narrow alleys locals call caruggi. A former maritime republic, it has one of the Mediterranean's major ports and one of Europe's largest historic centres, where the Palazzi dei Rolli are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

As the capital of Liguria, Genova dominates its surroundings: its 562,422 residents at the end of 2023 make up 68.8% of the entire province. The city has lost 4.1% of its population since 2011. The estimated average age is 48.7; 28.7% of residents are over 65, in line with the region, and households average 1.93 people. Foreign nationals account for 11.3%.

Earthquakes are less of a worry here than in much of Italy. Genova is in seismic zone 3, the second-lowest class, like 64 of the province's 67 municipalities, and expected ground acceleration in the built-up area is about 0.069 g. With a historic palazzo, or a block put up quickly during the city's decades of rapid expansion, it is still worth asking about the condition of the structure.

What matters most in Genova is the exact position of the property. Slope, distance from a stream, which way a hillside faces: landslide and flood hazard changes from street to street, and the report checks it at the address using ISPRA's national maps. Prices should be read the same way, as a range for the zone. The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes cadastral maps, so the report can identify the plot; the services data include 219 pharmacies and 414 healthcare facilities.

Key points

  • 562,422 residents, 68.8% of the whole province.
  • Population down 4.1% since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 3, expected acceleration about 0.069 g.
  • Slopes and streams: landslide and flood hazard read address by address.

Overview

Genova is the capital of the province of Genova, in Liguria. At the end of 2023 it had 562,422 residents, the most populous municipality in the province. 69% of the province's residents live here.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Genova is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. Most municipalities in the province (64 of 67) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.069 g, a moderate value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

Even in zone 3, seismic standards apply to new buildings: for an older building, ask about the design year and any structural work.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood risk changes from one street to the next, even within the same municipality: for this reason we do not summarise it as a single figure for the whole of Genova.

The report checks the exact address against the ISPRA national maps and tells you in plain words whether the building falls within an at-risk area. The official map is also available on IdroGEO.

House prices

We do not publish price tables by municipality. The report gives the minimum and maximum price per square metre for the address's zone, from the Revenue Agency's OMI valuations, with the reference half-year. It is a range for the zone, not the value of a specific home.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has fallen by 4.1%. The estimated average age is 49 years, in line with the province. 29% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 29%). Foreign residents make up 11.3% of the population. On average, a household has 1.9 members.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Genova has 384 schools and 219 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 189 grocery shops and supermarkets, 414 healthcare facilities, 496 sports facilities and 83 parks and green areas.

There are 0.3 grocery shops and supermarkets per 1,000 residents, fewer than the province average (0.5).

This data is gathered from several providers: services may be missing or closed businesses may still appear. The report counts services within 500 metres and 1 kilometre of the address.

Public transport

We do not yet have open public transport timetables for this municipality: the report says so explicitly, without inventing distances.

Land registry

The Revenue Agency publishes the cadastral maps for Genova: the report finds the building's parcel, that is its sheet and parcel number, starting from the address.

Data sources

ISTAT code 010025. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.