Montechiarugolo: what to know before buying a home
A municipality in the province of Parma, Emilia-Romagna. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.
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Search for an address in Montechiarugolo
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 Parma 1, Montechiarugolo.
Montechiarugolo, a castle on the Enza and the spa at Monticelli
The castle of Montechiarugolo stands on a terrace above the Enza, the river that here divides the province of Parma from that of Reggio Emilia. The castle village itself is small, though: many residents live in Monticelli Terme, the largest village, home to the spa, and in others such as Basilicanova, spread across the plain south-east of Parma where the land starts to rise into the hills.
It is a commuter town for Parma, a short drive away, set in countryside of meadows and dairy farms within the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese area. Homes range from districts of houses and small blocks of flats built in recent decades to farmhouses in the fields. There are more supermarkets per head than the provincial average, while recorded healthcare and sports facilities are few, so many errands mean a trip into the city.
The town is growing: 11,252 residents in 2023, up 7.3% since 2011, or 770 more people, according to Istat, the national statistics office. Montechiarugolo ranks number 7 by population in the province. The estimated average age (46.0) and the share of over-65s (23.5%) are in line with the province; foreign residents make up 11.3%. Declared incomes are slightly above the Parma average.
Around Parma, 7 municipalities are in seismic zone 2 and 37 in zone 3. Montechiarugolo is in zone 3, but its expected ground acceleration of about 0.154 g is among the highest in that class, close to the first Apennine foothills. For masonry farmhouses and older houses, ask about structural checks and any work carried out.
The Enza can rise quickly in flood, and the lowest areas near the river and the canals need checking. The report assesses flood and landslide hazard for the address and finds the plot on the Revenue Agency's cadastral maps.
Key points
- Castle on the Enza and a spa at Monticelli, south-east of Parma.
- Population up 7.3% since 2011.
- Seismic zone 3, expected acceleration about 0.154 g.
- Low-lying areas near the Enza need a flood check.
Overview
Montechiarugolo is a municipality in the province of Parma, in Emilia-Romagna. At the end of 2023 it had 11,252 residents, ranked 7 of 44 municipalities in the province.
Earthquakes
For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Montechiarugolo is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. Most municipalities in the province (37 of 44) are in the same zone.
In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.154 g, a medium-high 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 grown by 7.3%. The estimated average age is 46 years, in line with the province. 23% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 25%). Foreign residents make up 11.3% of the population. On average, a household has 2.2 members.
Income and climate
In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Montechiarugolo declared an average taxable income of 29,079 euros, in line with the province (28,491 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.
Montechiarugolo is in climate zone E, with 2,626 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 128 metres above sea level.
Services
In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Montechiarugolo has 8 schools and 3 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 10 grocery shops and supermarkets, 2 healthcare facilities, 3 sports facilities and 1 green area.
There are 0.2 healthcare facilities per 1,000 residents, fewer than the province average (0.6).
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 12.9% of the land in Montechiarugolo, compared with 7.6% in the province and 9.0% in the region. In 2024 built-up land grew by 0.9 hectares.
Radon and contaminated sites
Montechiarugolo is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Emilia-Romagna in 2026. 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 Montechiarugolo.
Landslides and flooding
Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Montechiarugolo: 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 Montechiarugolo 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 90 inhabited census areas in Montechiarugolo. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 66 or more.
Residents by band
- fair 36.9%
- good 63.1%
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.
- Radon priority areas (Legislative Decree 101/2020), Regione Emilia-Romagna, national list compiled by ARPA Lombardia. Licence Atto pubblico (art. 5 L. 633/1941), 2026.
- 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 034023. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.