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Montignoso: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of Massa-Carrara, Toscana. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Montignoso

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 Roma 1, Montignoso.

Montignoso, from Cinquale beach to the Aghinolfi castle

Montignoso sits on the border between the province of Massa-Carrara and Versilia, the stretch of Tuscan coast running south towards Viareggio. It covers a strip of land from the Apuan Alps to the sea. Up in the hills are the old villages and the Aghinolfi castle; down on the coastal plain is Cinquale, the beach hamlet that runs straight into Forte dei Marmi. Towards Pietrasanta lies Lago di Porta, a protected wetland.

The housing market splits in two. In Cinquale and on the plain there are small villas, holiday homes and flats whose prices feel the pull of pricier Versilia next door. In the hills you find scattered houses, olive groves and stone homes on narrow, steep roads. Massa is close and provides most services; the coast fills up in summer and empties in winter.

In 2023 there were 10,038 residents, down 1.8% on 2011 according to Istat, the national statistics office. The estimated average age is 48.3, slightly below the province (49.2); over-65s are 26.6% and foreign residents 4.9%, a modest share for coastal Tuscany. Declared incomes are in line with the provincial average.

For earthquakes, Montignoso is in seismic zone 3 of the Civil Protection classification, while 14 of the 17 municipalities in the province are in zone 2, mostly in Lunigiana further north. Expected acceleration in the built-up area is about 0.135 g. For stone houses in the hills, ask about the condition of walls and roof and any structural work carried out.

Geography raises two separate questions. On the low plain near the river mouth and the lake, water needs checking; on the Apuan slopes, gradients and landslides count. The report checks both for the specific address and, with the Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps, finds the plot.

Key points

  • Between Massa and Versilia, from the Apuan Alps to Cinquale beach.
  • Seismic zone 3; 14 municipalities in the province are in zone 2.
  • Population down 1.8% since 2011; foreign residents 4.9%.
  • Low plain by the sea, slopes inland: different hazards for each address.

Overview

Montignoso is a municipality in the province of Massa-Carrara, in Toscana. At the end of 2023 it had 10,038 residents, ranked 4 of 17 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Montignoso is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. Only 3 of 17 municipalities in the province are in zone 3.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.135 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 1.8%. The estimated average age is 48 years, in line with the province. 27% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 26%). Foreign residents make up 4.9% of the population. On average, a household has 2.2 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Montignoso declared an average taxable income of 24,274 euros, in line with the province (23,864 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Montignoso is in climate zone D, with 1,887 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 130 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Montignoso has 8 schools and 3 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 2 grocery shops and supermarkets, 3 healthcare facilities, 4 sports facilities and 4 parks and green areas.

There are 0.2 grocery shops and supermarkets 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 20.7% of the land in Montignoso, compared with 7.3% in the province and 6.2% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Montignoso is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Toscana in 2025. 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 Montignoso. 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 Montignoso: 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 Montignoso 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 59 inhabited census areas in Montignoso. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 58 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 0.8%
  • fair 85.7%
  • good 13.5%

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 045011. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.