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Mafalda: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Mafalda

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 Vittorio Emanuele 1, Mafalda.

Mafalda, in the Molise hills above the Trigno valley

Mafalda looks down over the Trigno valley, the river that in its lower course divides Molise from Abruzzo. It is a hill village in the province of Campobasso, at around 450 metres, surrounded by cultivated fields and olive groves, with the Adriatic coast within driving distance.

Daily life relies on the larger towns in the area for shopping, healthcare and secondary schools. Homes are mostly detached houses, many in the old centre, with internal stairs, cellars and little outdoor space; others are country houses. For buyers, the structural condition and the systems, often dated, are what matter. The climate zone is D. Declared incomes are well below the provincial average.

There were 1,091 residents in 2023, 140 fewer than at the 2011 census (a fall of 11.4%). The average age is 48.7, against 47.6 in the province, and 30.2% of residents are over 65. Foreign nationals make up 3.6%.

For earthquakes, Mafalda is in seismic zone 3: in the province of Campobasso only 9 of 84 municipalities are in this zone, the rest being in zone 1 or 2. Even so, the expected ground acceleration is 0.123 g, and in an older house it is worth asking whether work has been done on the roof, floors and walls.

On the hillsides landslide hazard changes from one spot to the next, and the report checks the address against the official maps. The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps are available, so the address leads to the land parcel.

Key points

  • Molise hill village above the Trigno valley.
  • Population down 11.4% since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 3, shared by only 9 municipalities in the province.
  • Landslides on the slopes: check by address.

Overview

Mafalda is a municipality in the province of Campobasso, in Molise. At the end of 2023 it had 1,091 residents, ranked 41 of 84 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Mafalda is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. Only 9 of 84 municipalities in the province are in zone 3.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.123 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.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has fallen by 11.4%. The estimated average age is 49 years, in line with the province. 30% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 27%). Foreign residents make up 3.6% of the population. On average, a household has 2.1 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Mafalda declared an average taxable income of 15,772 euros, below the provincial average (19,995 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Mafalda is in climate zone D, with 1,929 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 1 November to 15 April, for up to 12 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 459 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Mafalda has 3 schools and 1 pharmacy.

The data shows no grocery shops and supermarkets within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.7 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 4.1% of the land in Mafalda, compared with 4.3% 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 Mafalda.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Mafalda: 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 Mafalda 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 12 inhabited census areas in Mafalda. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 65 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 11.7%
  • good 88.3%

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 070036. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.