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Monterosso Almo: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Monterosso Almo

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: Corso Umberto I 2, Monterosso Almo.

Monterosso Almo, Baroque stone high in the Hyblaean Mountains

In the Hyblaean Mountains north of Ragusa, Monterosso Almo sits at around 700 metres, one of the highest towns in the province. Like its neighbours in this part of Sicily it has Baroque churches and limestone squares, surrounded by pasture, dry-stone walls and woodland. Winters are colder than on the coast: the town is in climate zone D and snow is not unusual.

Buyers here mostly find stone houses in the centre, often on several floors and in need of updating, at prices well below those on the Ragusa coast. The provincial capital is a drive along hill roads, and many residents commute towards Ragusa and the larger towns for work. In older houses, insulation, windows and heating are the key points.

Istat, Italy's national statistics office, counts 2,750 residents (2023), down 13.6% since 2011. The average age is 48.8, compared with 44.0 in the province, and 28.4% of residents are over 65, more than elsewhere around Ragusa. Foreign nationals make up 1.7%.

The town is in seismic zone 1, the highest, like 5 of the 12 municipalities in the province, with an expected ground acceleration of 0.263 g. The centre was rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake, as was much of south-eastern Sicily. For a masonry house, ask whether any seismic strengthening has been done and have the floors and roof inspected.

On the hillsides the gradient changes from one street to the next. The report measures it at the address and checks the official landslide maps.

Key points

  • Hyblaean hill town at around 700 metres, cold winters and stone houses
  • 2,750 residents, down 13.6% since 2011
  • Seismic zone 1, expected acceleration 0.263 g
  • 28.4% of residents over 65, above the provincial average

Overview

Monterosso Almo is a municipality in the province of Ragusa, in Sicilia. At the end of 2023 it had 2,750 residents, among the smallest in the province (12 of 12).

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Monterosso Almo is in seismic zone 1, the highest-risk zone, where very strong earthquakes are possible. Only 5 of 12 municipalities in the province are in zone 1.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.263 g, a high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Monterosso Almo, 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 13.6%. The estimated average age is 49 years, higher than the province average (44). 28% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 23%). Foreign residents make up 1.7% of the population. On average, a household has 2.1 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Monterosso Almo declared an average taxable income of 16,861 euros, below the provincial average (17,930 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Monterosso Almo is in climate zone D, with 1,591 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 691 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Monterosso Almo has 3 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 1 sports facility and 1 green area.

The data shows no grocery shops and supermarkets within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.6 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 3.3% of the land in Monterosso Almo, compared with 10.6% in the province and 6.6% 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 low. 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 Monterosso Almo.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Monterosso Almo: 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 Monterosso Almo 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 18 inhabited census areas in Monterosso Almo. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 60 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 100.0%

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 088007. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.