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Malalbergo: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of Bologna, Emilia-Romagna. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Malalbergo

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 Nazionale 1, Malalbergo.

Malalbergo and Altedo, the Bologna plain towards Ferrara

Altedo green asparagus, a product with protected geographical status, has made one hamlet of this municipality known beyond the province. Malalbergo lies at the far north of the Bologna plain, towards the border with the province of Ferrara, in flat countryside about ten metres above sea level: open fields, drainage canals and scattered farmhouses. The Navile canal, the waterway that once carried boats from Bologna towards the Po, crosses the area.

The two main centres are Malalbergo itself and Altedo, which also has an exit on the A13 motorway between Bologna and Padua; for anyone working in Bologna or Ferrara, it is the most convenient link. Homes are mostly detached and semi-detached houses and low blocks, priced below the towns right next to Bologna. It is worth driving the commute at rush hour before deciding.

At the end of 2023 there were 9,208 residents, up 5.0% on 2011. Foreign residents make up 12.6%, a high share, partly linked to farm work. The estimated average age of 46.0 is a little below the provincial figure, and over-65s are 23.4%. Declared incomes are below the Bologna average.

Malalbergo is in seismic zone 3 on the Civil Protection scale, where 1 is the most hazardous, but expected ground acceleration is about 0.159 g, not negligible for the plain; 12 municipalities in the province are in zone 2. On the clay and sandy soils of the low plain, the foundations matter: for a house from the 1960s or 1970s, ask about structural assessments and work carried out.

On reclaimed land, with the Reno river just to the north and a dense network of canals, flooding is the first thing to check. The report looks it up on the official maps for the address and, with the Revenue Agency's cadastral maps, traces the plot.

Key points

  • Bologna plain towards Ferrara, with Altedo and its A13 exit.
  • Population up 5.0% since 2011, foreign residents 12.6%.
  • Seismic zone 3, expected acceleration about 0.159 g.
  • Reclaimed land near the Reno: flood hazard checked by address.

Overview

Malalbergo is a municipality in the province of Bologna, in Emilia-Romagna. At the end of 2023 it had 9,208 residents, ranked 25 of 55 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Malalbergo is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. Most municipalities in the province (43 of 55) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.159 g, a medium-high 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 grown by 5.0%. The estimated average age is 46 years, in line with the province. 23% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 25%). Foreign residents make up 12.6% of the population. On average, a household has 2.2 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Malalbergo declared an average taxable income of 24,869 euros, below the provincial average (29,157 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Malalbergo is in climate zone E, with 2,329 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 12 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Malalbergo has 5 schools and 3 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 4 grocery shops and supermarkets, 3 healthcare facilities, 6 sports facilities and 1 green area.

There are 0.3 healthcare facilities per 1,000 residents, fewer than the province average (0.8).

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 7.9% of the land in Malalbergo, compared with 9.0% in the province and 9.0% in the region. In 2024 built-up land grew by 1.4 hectares.

Radon and contaminated sites

Malalbergo is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Emilia-Romagna in 2026. 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 Malalbergo; one has been cleaned up or closed.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Malalbergo: 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 Malalbergo 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 52 inhabited census areas in Malalbergo. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 60 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 18.5%
  • fair 46.2%
  • good 35.3%

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 037035. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.