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Laces: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of Bolzano/Bozen, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Laces

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 Centrale 1, Laces.

Laces, orchards and hamlets in the middle Val Venosta

Between Merano and Silandro the floor of the Val Venosta (Vinschgau) is a sea of apple orchards, and Laces, Latsch in German, sits in the middle stretch along the Adige. The village lies at around 640 metres, and the municipality also includes Morter, Coldrano (Goldrain), Tarres (Tarsch) and, high on the slope, San Martino al Monte (St. Martin am Kofel). As in the rest of the valley German is the main language, and farming, apples above all, remains the backbone of the economy alongside tourism.

The Val Venosta railway stops at Laces and links it with Merano in one direction and Malles in the other. In the public transport data the municipality has 37 stops and 8 lines. Buyers should know that in South Tyrol many homes are "convenzionate": under provincial law they are reserved for people who live or work in the province, and the restriction passes to every new owner. Before making an offer, ask whether the property is subject to this and what obligations come with it.

In 2023 there were 5,263 residents, up 2.7% on 2011. The average age is 42.8, against 43.4 for the province, and over-65s make up 18.4%, compared with 20.6%. Foreign residents account for 10.6%. Average declared incomes are well below those of South Tyrol as a whole.

Earthquakes are not a major issue in South Tyrol: all 116 municipalities are in seismic zone 4, the lowest in the national classification set by the Civil Protection Department, and the expected ground acceleration here is about 0.053 g. The natural hazards to watch are debris flows and floods from the streams coming down the side valleys, and landslides on the slopes. The report checks the official landslide and flood maps for the address, and the town hall also holds the local hazard zone plan.

Ownership in Laces is checked in the Land Register (Grundbuch), because the tavolare system applies, and the Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) does not publish cadastral maps. The report takes this into account and works with the other data available.

Key points

  • Orchards and the Val Venosta railway, between Merano and Silandro.
  • 37 public transport stops and 8 lines.
  • Over-65s at 18.4%, against 20.6% in the province.
  • Tavolare system: ownership recorded in the Land Register.

Overview

Laces is a municipality in the province of Bolzano/Bozen, in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. At the end of 2023 it had 5,263 residents, ranked 19 of 116 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Laces is in seismic zone 4, the lowest-risk zone, where strong earthquakes are very rare. All 116 municipalities in the province are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.053 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 grown by 2.7%. The estimated average age is 43 years, in line with the province. 18% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 22%). Foreign residents make up 10.6% of the population. On average, a household has 2.3 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Laces declared an average taxable income of 19,343 euros, below the provincial average (28,222 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Laces is in climate zone F, with 3,443 heating degree days, with no limits on when heating may be used. The same table puts the town hall at 639 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Health lists, Laces has 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 8 grocery shops and supermarkets, 6 sports facilities and 1 green area.

The data shows no schools within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.2 per 1,000 residents.

Public transport

Within the municipality there are 37 public transport stops, served by 7 bus lines, 1 train line. That is about 7.0 stops per 1,000 residents.

How built-up it is

Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 3.4% of the land in Laces, compared with 2.7% in the province and 2.9% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Laces is one of the municipalities designated as a radon priority area by the Provincia autonoma di Bolzano in 2026. According to the ISPRA map, the estimated radon emission in the municipality is very high. Radon varies from building to building and can only be known by measuring it, especially on ground floors and in basements.

Official databases list no open contaminated sites in Laces; 2 have been cleaned up or closed.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Laces: 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

For Laces the Revenue Agency does not publish cadastral maps: the land registry here uses the tavolare (land book) system. The report cannot give a parcel reference, but it still checks risks, services and transport at the address and states this clearly.

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 72 inhabited census areas in Laces. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 70 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 8.4%
  • good 81.0%
  • very good 10.6%

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 021037. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.