Monte Porzio Catone: what to know before buying a home
A municipality in the province of Roma, Lazio. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.
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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 Silio Italico 2, Monte Porzio Catone.
Monte Porzio Catone, vineyards and an observatory in the Castelli
In the Castelli Romani hills south-east of Rome, between Frascati and Montecompatri, Monte Porzio Catone sits on a hilltop at about 450 metres, surrounded by vineyards. This is Frascati wine country, and wineries and simple local taverns are part of village life. Above the village, towards Tusculum and its archaeological site, there are chestnut woods, and the municipality is also home to the Rome Astronomical Observatory of INAF, Italy's national astrophysics institute.
It is a small, quiet place, with a compact centre around the main square and newer houses scattered among vines and olive groves. Many residents work in Rome, reached by car via the Anagnina area or by train from nearby Frascati. Services in the village are limited: schools, healthcare and supermarkets are all below the provincial rate per resident, and for many things people go to Frascati.
There are 8,582 residents (2023), essentially stable: down 0.4% on 2011. The population is slightly older than the province, with an average age of 46.9 and 25.9% over 65 against 22.9%. Foreign nationals make up 4.7%. Declared incomes are above the metropolitan average.
The Alban Hills are a large dormant volcano, with frequent but usually weak earthquakes. Monte Porzio Catone is in seismic zone 2, like 97 municipalities in the province of Rome, with expected ground acceleration of about 0.168 g. In the masonry houses of the centre and in country farmhouses, it is worth asking what work has been done on the load-bearing walls and roofs.
The hill has steep sides, with volcanic soils that can shift after intense rain. The report checks the official landslide and flood maps for the address and finds the parcel on the Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps.
Key points
- Castelli Romani hilltop among Frascati vineyards and Tusculum.
- Home to the Rome Astronomical Observatory (INAF).
- Incomes above average; services below the provincial rate.
- Seismic zone 2, expected acceleration about 0.168 g.
Overview
Monte Porzio Catone is a municipality in the province of Roma, in Lazio. At the end of 2023 it had 8,582 residents, ranked 48 of 121 municipalities in the province.
Earthquakes
For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Monte Porzio Catone is in seismic zone 2, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible. The region uses a finer breakdown: here the classification is 2B. Most municipalities in the province (97 of 121) are in the same zone.
In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.168 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.
For anyone buying in Monte Porzio Catone, 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 number of residents is nearly unchanged. 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 4.7% of the population. On average, a household has 2.3 members.
Income and climate
In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Monte Porzio Catone declared an average taxable income of 29,887 euros, in line with the province (28,682 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.
Monte Porzio Catone is in climate zone D, with 2,009 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 1 November to 15 April, for up to 12 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 451 metres above sea level.
Services
In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Monte Porzio Catone has 4 schools and 3 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 4 grocery shops and supermarkets, 3 healthcare facilities, 7 sports facilities and 2 parks and green areas.
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 15.8% of the land in Monte Porzio Catone, compared with 13.2% in the province and 8.2% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.
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 no contaminated sites in Monte Porzio Catone.
Landslides and flooding
Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Monte Porzio Catone: 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 Monte Porzio Catone 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 39 inhabited census areas in Monte Porzio Catone. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 67 or more.
Residents by band
- modest 0.7%
- fair 28.9%
- good 70.4%
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
- Seismic classification of municipalities, Dipartimento della Protezione Civile. Licence CC BY 4.0, updated to 2025-05.
- MPS04 seismic hazard model, INGV. Licence CC BY 4.0, 2004 model.
- Data by census section, Istat. Licence CC BY 4.0, residents at the end of 2023, compared with the 2011 census.
- Places, Overture Maps Foundation. Licence CDLA Permissive 2.0 and others depending on provider, release 2026-10-21.0.
- Income and main IRPEF variables by municipality, MEF, Dipartimento delle Finanze. Licence CC BY 3.0 IT, tax year 2024.
- Climate zones and heating degree days of municipalities (Presidential Decree 412/1993, Annex A), Normattiva. Licence CC BY 4.0, current text.
- Land take, territorial dynamics and ecosystem services, ISPRA e SNPA. Licence CC BY 4.0, 2024 data.
- Predictive radon map by municipality, ISPRA. Licence CC BY 4.0, version 2022-11.
- Contaminated sites, ISPRA, MOSAICO - Banca dati nazionale dei siti oggetto di procedimento di bonifica. Licence CC BY 4.0, updated to 12 November 2026.
- Liveability index by census area, Vicinalia, from the data in the report sections. Licence CC BY-SA 4.0, worked out on 30 September 2026.
- List of Italian municipalities, Istat. Licence CC BY 4.0, updated to 21 February 2026.
ISTAT code 058064. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.