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Gonnesa: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of Sulcis Iglesiente, Sardegna. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Gonnesa

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 Giacomo Matteotti 1, Gonnesa.

Gonnesa, mines and beaches between Iglesias and Carbonia

Gonnesa lies halfway between Iglesias and Carbonia, in Sulcis-Iglesiente, an area shaped by more than a century of mining. Within its boundaries is the Nuraxi Figus coal mine, and to the west the municipality reaches the sea at the beaches of Fontanamare and Plag'e Mesu, on the Gulf of Gonnesa. Near the coast stands the Seruci nuraghe, one of the largest Bronze Age settlements in the area.

The climate is mild (climate zone B) and homes are cheap compared with other coastal parts of Sardinia. The market offers traditional houses in the village, detached homes and a few properties near the coast. Buyers should know that the local economy has suffered from the decline of mining and that the main services are in Iglesias and Carbonia, a few minutes away.

In 2023 there were 4,557 residents, 578 fewer than in 2011, a fall of 11.3%. The average age is 50.1, in line with the province of Sulcis Iglesiente (50.6), and over-65s make up 30.5%. Foreign residents are very few, 1.3%.

All 24 municipalities in the province are in seismic zone 4, the lowest in the Civil Protection classification, with an expected ground acceleration of about 0.050 g. The issue specific to Gonnesa is what lies underground. The area has tunnels, shafts and spoil heaps from old mining, and in some places the ground can subside. Before buying, ask the town hall whether the area is affected by old mine workings and check the official landslide and flood maps for the address in the report.

Key points

  • Between Iglesias and Carbonia, with Fontanamare and Plag'e Mesu beaches.
  • 4,557 residents, down 11.3% since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 4, expected acceleration about 0.050 g.
  • Old mine tunnels: ask the town hall before buying.

Overview

Gonnesa is a municipality in the province of Sulcis Iglesiente, in Sardegna. At the end of 2023 it had 4,557 residents, ranked 8 of 24 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Gonnesa is in seismic zone 4, the lowest-risk zone, where strong earthquakes are very rare. All 24 municipalities in the province are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.050 g, a moderate value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

In zone 4 the risk is low, but for an older building it is still worth asking about the state of the structure.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has fallen by 11.3%. The estimated average age is 50 years, in line with the province. 30% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 27%). Foreign residents make up 1.3% of the population. On average, a household has 2.1 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Gonnesa declared an average taxable income of 18,866 euros, in line with the province (19,085 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Gonnesa is in climate zone B, with 766 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 41 metres above sea level.

Services

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

There are 0.7 schools per 1,000 residents, fewer than the province average (1.1).

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 5.6% of the land in Gonnesa, compared with 3.4% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Gonnesa is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Sardegna in 2022. According to the ISPRA map, the estimated radon emission in the municipality is low. Radon varies from building to building and can only be known by measuring it, especially on ground floors and in basements.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Gonnesa: 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 Gonnesa 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 31 inhabited census areas in Gonnesa. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 84 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 4.7%
  • good 15.8%
  • very good 79.5%

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 119008. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.