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Macchiagodena: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Macchiagodena

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: Contrada Santa Maria in Pantano 1, Macchiagodena.

Macchiagodena, a mountain village in inland Molise

Macchiagodena is a mountain village in inland Molise, in the eastern part of the province of Isernia, roughly halfway between Isernia and Campobasso. The centre sits above eight hundred metres on a rise surrounded by woods and pasture, and winters are cold, with frequent snow. It suits people looking for peace and mountain air, not those facing long daily commutes.

The market is mostly stone village houses, many built before modern earthquake standards, plus a few newer homes on the edge of the village. Before buying, arrange a viewing with a surveyor: roof, walls, heating and electrics and insulation are the points to check, and winter heating is a significant cost.

Istat, the national statistics office, counts 1,626 residents in 2023, down 11.8% since 2011. The average age is 49.7 against 48.1 for the province; over-65s make up 31.8% and foreign residents 2.0%. Declared incomes are below the provincial average.

Inland Molise has high seismic hazard: in the province of Isernia 32 municipalities are in zone 1 and 20 in zone 2. Macchiagodena is in zone 1, with an expected ground acceleration of 0.263 g. Always ask whether the building has been strengthened, when, and with what paperwork.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes the cadastral maps, and the report works back from the address to the land parcel, checking gradient and the official landslide maps for that spot.

Key points

  • Mountain village between Isernia and Campobasso, high up.
  • Seismic zone 1, expected acceleration of 0.263 g.
  • Stone houses: ask about strengthening work and paperwork.
  • Residents down 11.8% since 2011.

Overview

Macchiagodena is a municipality in the province of Isernia, in Molise. At the end of 2023 it had 1,626 residents, ranked 10 of 52 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Macchiagodena is in seismic zone 1, the highest-risk zone, where very strong earthquakes are possible. Most municipalities in the province (32 of 52) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.263 g, a high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Macchiagodena, 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 fallen by 11.8%. The estimated average age is 50 years, higher than the province average (48). 32% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 27%). Foreign residents make up 2.0% of the population. On average, a household has 2.3 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Macchiagodena declared an average taxable income of 15,281 euros, below the provincial average (20,102 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Macchiagodena is in climate zone E, with 2,583 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 864 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Macchiagodena has 3 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 1 grocery shop.

The data shows no healthcare facilities within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.5 per 1,000 residents.

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 4.6% of the land in Macchiagodena, compared with 3.4% in the province and 4.0% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

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.

Official databases list no contaminated sites in Macchiagodena.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Macchiagodena: 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 Macchiagodena 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 38 inhabited census areas in Macchiagodena. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 60 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 100.0%

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 094026. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.