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L'Aquila: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of L'Aquila, Abruzzo. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in L'Aquila

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 Roma 1, L'Aquila.

L'Aquila, a city rebuilt

The earthquake of 6 April 2009 left a deep mark on L'Aquila, and the reconstruction that followed changed the face of many buildings in the historic centre and the outlying villages. For anyone thinking of buying here, a property's history since 2009 is the most important thing to know: whether it was damaged, and how it was repaired or rebuilt, with which designs and completion certificates.

The data show why. L'Aquila is in seismic zone 1, the highest class, like 103 of the 108 municipalities in its province (the other 5 are in zone 2). The expected ground acceleration in the built-up area is about 0.261 g, a high value with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years. As well as the paperwork for any works, it is worth asking whether a seismic risk class has been calculated for the building.

The city, capital of the Abruzzo region, was founded in the thirteenth century at the foot of the Gran Sasso massif. Its landmarks include the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio, linked to Pope Celestine V and the Perdonanza celebration, and the Fountain of the 99 Spouts (Fontana delle 99 Cannelle).

Unlike many Apennine towns, L'Aquila has gained residents: 69,717 at the end of 2023, 4.1% more than at the 2011 census, and 24.3% of the provincial population. The estimated average age is 46.6, below the provincial 47.5, and over-65s make up 25.2%. Foreign residents account for 8.9%.

Overture Maps data record 76 healthcare facilities and 72 schools. The Ministry of Health lists 22 pharmacies, 0.32 per 1,000 residents against 0.56 in the province, and supermarkets are also less dense (0.50 against 0.72).

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps cover the municipality, and the report derives the sheet and parcel (foglio and particella) from the address. The area is large and mountainous, so landslide and flood hazard and local prices are checked for each address, whether in the centre, the suburbs or the villages.

Key points

  • Seismic zone 1; expected ground acceleration about 0.261 g.
  • After the 2009 earthquake, ask how the building was repaired.
  • Population up 4.1% since 2011.
  • Fewer pharmacies per resident than the provincial average.

Overview

L'Aquila is the capital of the province of L'Aquila, in Abruzzo. At the end of 2023 it had 69,717 residents, the most populous municipality in the province. 24% of the province's residents live here.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, L'Aquila is in seismic zone 1, the highest-risk zone, where very strong earthquakes are possible. Most municipalities in the province (103 of 108) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.261 g, a high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in L'Aquila, 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 4.1%. The estimated average age is 47 years, in line with the province. 25% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 26%). Foreign residents make up 8.9% of the population. On average, a household has 2.1 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in L'Aquila declared an average taxable income of 26,286 euros, above the provincial average (22,903 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

L'Aquila is in climate zone E, with 2,514 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 15 October to 15 April, for up to 14 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 714 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, L'Aquila has 72 schools and 22 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 35 grocery shops and supermarkets, 76 healthcare facilities, 71 sports facilities and 21 parks and green areas.

There are 0.3 pharmacies per 1,000 residents, fewer than the province average (0.6).

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 5.5% of the land in L'Aquila, compared with 3.2% in the province and 5.1% in the region. In 2024 built-up land grew by 9.2 hectares.

Radon and contaminated sites

Official databases list 5 contaminated sites, or sites still under investigation, in L'Aquila, and 3 more have been cleaned up or closed. The report tells you whether one is close to the address.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within L'Aquila: 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 L'Aquila 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 776 inhabited census areas in L'Aquila. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 60 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 1.8%
  • fair 98.2%

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 066049. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.