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Milazzo: 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 Milazzo

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 Santa Marina 1, Milazzo.

Milazzo, the cape on the Tyrrhenian and the Aeolian port

Milazzo occupies the isthmus and peninsula that reach out into the Tyrrhenian towards the Aeolian Islands, on the northern coast of the province of Messina. Ferries and hydrofoils leave the harbour for Vulcano, Lipari and the other islands, which brings passengers and activity all year round. On the high part of town stands the castle, a large fortified citadel, and the tip of the cape has cliffs, footpaths and natural rock pools. At the other end, where the peninsula joins the mainland, are the oil refinery and the industrial zone.

For buyers, where you are in town makes a big difference. The old quarter below the castle and the seafront have period houses with sea views. The cape is made up of villas and second homes among olive trees, on narrow roads. The districts to the south and on the plain are closer to the industrial plants, and anyone considering a home there should look into air quality and environmental monitoring. The station on the Messina to Palermo line and the A20 motorway junction make it easy to get to Messina.

There were 30,028 residents in 2023, down 6.6% on 2011. The estimated average age is 47.4, slightly above the provincial 46.7, and over-65s make up 25.7%. Foreign nationals are 3.7%. Average incomes are above the provincial figure, helped by industry and the port.

Seismic hazard in the province of Messina is high. The area remembers the 1908 earthquake that destroyed Messina and Reggio Calabria, and today 17 municipalities in the province are in zone 1 of the Civil Protection classification. Milazzo is in zone 2, with an expected ground acceleration of about 0.162 g. For a flat in an apartment block, find out the design year, the completion certificate and any structural work, and have a surveyor inspect it.

The town is almost at sea level and the coast is exposed to erosion and storm surges. The report checks flood and landslide hazard on the official maps for the exact address, after finding the plot on the cadastral maps of the Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate).

Key points

  • Ferry and hydrofoil port for the Aeolian Islands.
  • Villas and second homes on the cape, refinery at its base.
  • Population down 6.6% since 2011, over-65s at 25.7%.
  • Seismic zone 2, expected acceleration about 0.162 g.

Overview

Milazzo is a municipality in the province of Messina, in Sicilia. At the end of 2023 it had 30,028 residents, the third most populous in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Milazzo 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 0.162 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Milazzo, 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 fallen by 6.6%. The estimated average age is 47 years, in line with the province. 26% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 23%). Foreign residents make up 3.7% of the population. On average, a household has 2.2 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Milazzo declared an average taxable income of 23,348 euros, above the provincial average (20,687 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Milazzo is in climate zone B, with 628 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 1 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Milazzo has 32 schools and 11 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 18 grocery shops and supermarkets, 34 healthcare facilities, 31 sports facilities and 6 parks and green areas.

There are 1.1 healthcare facilities per 1,000 residents, more 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 34.1% of the land in Milazzo, compared with 6.0% in the province and 6.6% in the region. In 2024 built-up land grew by 3.9 hectares.

Radon and contaminated sites

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 one contaminated site, or site still under investigation, in Milazzo, and one more has been cleaned up or closed. The report tells you whether one is close to the address.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Milazzo: 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 Milazzo 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 110 inhabited census areas in Milazzo. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 76 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 16.1%
  • good 46.7%
  • very good 37.2%

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 083049. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.