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Mello: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Mello

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 Provinciale 1, Mello.

Mello, on the Costiera dei Cech in lower Valtellina

On the sunny, south-facing side of lower Valtellina, Mello is part of the Costiera dei Cech, the band of villages and terraces above the Adda valley floor opposite Morbegno. The village lies at around 680 metres among meadows, chestnut woods and old dry-stone walls, and a drive down to the valley brings you to the services of Morbegno and the main road towards Lake Como and Sondrio.

Aspect is what these houses have going for them: plenty of sun even in winter, which helps with heating in climate zone F. In exchange, the roads are steep and narrow, so check access, parking and the upkeep of retaining walls, common on a terraced slope. You will find stone houses in the old hamlets, renovated homes and newer villas.

Compared with the province of Sondrio, the population is a little younger: the average age is 45.3 against 46.8, and over-65s make up 23.3% against 25.3%. In 2023 there were 933 residents, 6.8% fewer than in 2011. Households have 2.44 people on average.

The municipality is in seismic zone 3, like 64 of the 77 municipalities in the province, with an expected ground acceleration of 0.050 g. On a steep slope, landslides and debris flows during storms matter more and should be checked at the address.

Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps are published. The report goes from the address to the parcel and shows landslide hazard, slope and elevation, along with the local price range.

Key points

  • Costiera dei Cech, the sunny side of lower Valtellina.
  • Average age 45.3, below the provincial 46.8.
  • 933 residents, down 6.8% since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 3, expected acceleration 0.050 g.

Overview

Mello is a municipality in the province of Sondrio, in Lombardia. At the end of 2023 it had 933 residents, ranked 50 of 77 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Mello is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. Most municipalities in the province (64 of 77) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.050 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 6.8%. The estimated average age is 45 years, in line with the province. 23% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 24%). Foreign residents make up 4.1% of the population. On average, a household has 2.4 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Mello declared an average taxable income of 20,235 euros, below the provincial average (23,822 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Mello is in climate zone F, with 3,037 heating degree days, with no limits on when heating may be used. The same table puts the town hall at 681 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Mello has 2 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 1 grocery shop and 1 healthcare facility.

There are 1.1 pharmacies per 1,000 residents, more than the province average (0.4).

Public transport

The open timetables available for the area do not list any stops within the territory of Mello.

How built-up it is

Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 4.1% of the land in Mello, compared with 2.7% in the province and 12.2% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Mello is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Lombardia in 2023. According to the ISPRA map, the estimated radon emission in the municipality is medium. 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 Mello; one has been cleaned up or closed.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Mello: 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 Mello 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 9 inhabited census areas in Mello. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 68 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 9.2%
  • good 90.8%

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 014041. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.