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Malfa: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Malfa

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, Malfa.

Malfa and Pollara, the northern side of Salina

Salina, in the Aeolian Islands, is split into three municipalities, and Malfa covers the northern side. It also includes Pollara, the hamlet above the bay where the film Il Postino was shot. This is a land of capers and Malvasia wine, with terraced vineyards, low white houses with terraces and pergolas, and the sea always in view.

Buying here means living with the island. You arrive by hydrofoil or ferry from Milazzo, landing at Santa Marina Salina or Rinella; in winter there are fewer crossings and rough seas can stop them. The hospital and larger services are off the island. Many homes are second homes or are let in summer. The landscape is protected and the Aeolian Islands are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so extensions and alterations need permits: check that the house matches its building permits before you sign.

Here the number of residents is rising: 1,004 in 2023, up 1.6% since 2011. The average age (45.6) is below that of the province of Messina (46.7), over-65s make up 22.0% against 25.2%, and foreign residents 9.8%.

For earthquakes the municipality is in zone 2, like 91 of the 108 municipalities in the province, according to the Civil Protection classification, with an expected ground acceleration of 0.180 g. In traditional Aeolian houses, with flat roofs and thick walls, have the waterproofing checked, along with how later additions are joined to the original building.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes cadastral maps for Malfa, and the report traces the plot from the address, with the slope, the official landslide maps for the hillsides and the local price band.

Key points

  • Northern side of Salina, including the hamlet of Pollara.
  • Hydrofoil or ferry from Milazzo, fewer crossings in winter.
  • 1,004 residents in 2023, up 1.6% since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 2, expected acceleration 0.180 g.

Overview

Malfa is a municipality in the province of Messina, in Sicilia. At the end of 2023 it had 1,004 residents, ranked 81 of 108 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Malfa is in seismic zone 2, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible. Most municipalities in the province (91 of 108) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.180 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Malfa, 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 1.6%. The estimated average age is 46 years, in line with the province. 22% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 23%). Foreign residents make up 9.8% of the population. On average, a household has 2.0 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Malfa declared an average taxable income of 19,722 euros, in line with the province (20,687 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Malfa is in climate zone B, with 780 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 1 December to 31 March, for up to 8 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 90 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Malfa has 3 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 2 grocery shops and supermarkets and 1 sports facility.

The data shows no healthcare facilities within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.8 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 6.6% of the land in Malfa, compared with 6.0% in the province and 6.6% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Official databases list no contaminated sites in Malfa.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Malfa: 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 Malfa 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 7 inhabited census areas in Malfa. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 81 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 12.6%
  • good 7.8%
  • very good 79.7%

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 083043. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.