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Merana: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Merana

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: Regione Casorano Sottano 1, Merana.

Merana, in the Bormida valley towards Liguria

Merana lies in the valley of the Bormida di Spigno, in the part of the province of Alessandria, Piedmont, that borders Liguria, at around 250 metres. The village is spread between the valley floor, crossed by the river and the road, and wooded slopes with farmsteads and small hamlets. For the hospital, secondary schools and shops the reference is Acqui Terme, further down the valley.

It is a very small municipality, but the population has fallen only slightly: in 2023 there were 179 residents, against 185 in 2011, a fall of 3.2%, according to Istat, the national statistics office. The estimated average age is 49.6, close to the provincial 48.9, while over-65s make up 33.0%. Households average 2.03 people and foreign residents account for 5.6%. Declared incomes are below the provincial average.

You need a car for shopping and everyday services. Houses on the market are usually rural buildings in stone and brick, often with land and woodland, needing renovation. Before signing, check access to the property, whether it is on mains water and sewerage or, if not, whether the well and septic tank are authorised, and the state of the roof and walls. Climate zone E brings cold, damp winters on the valley floor.

For earthquakes, Merana is in seismic zone 3 under the Civil Protection classification, like 127 of the 187 municipalities in the province, with low expected ground acceleration, about 0.050 g.

The valley floor needs checking for floods from the Bormida, the slopes for landslides. The report checks the official maps for the address and finds the land parcel on the Revenue Agency's cadastral maps.

Key points

  • Bormida di Spigno valley, towards the border with Liguria.
  • 179 residents in 2023, down 3.2% since 2011.
  • Average age 49.6, over-65s at 33.0%.
  • Seismic zone 3 with low acceleration, about 0.050 g.

Overview

Merana is a municipality in the province of Alessandria, in Piemonte. At the end of 2023 it had 179 residents, among the smallest in the province (175 of 187).

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Merana is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. Most municipalities in the province (127 of 187) 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 3.2%. The estimated average age is 50 years, in line with the province. 33% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 27%). Foreign residents make up 5.6% of the population. On average, a household has 2.0 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Merana declared an average taxable income of 22,799 euros, below the provincial average (25,143 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Merana is in climate zone E, with 2,523 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 253 metres above sea level.

Services

The data shows no schools within the municipality, against a provincial average of 1.0 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 3.5% of the land in Merana, compared with 7.2% in the province and 6.7% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Merana is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Piemonte in 2023. 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 Merana.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Merana: 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 Merana 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 10 inhabited census areas in Merana. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 53 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 28.6%
  • fair 71.4%

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 006093. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.