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Ocre: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of L'Aquila, Abruzzo. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Ocre

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 Montesoro 1, Ocre.

Ocre, hamlets and a castle above the Aterno valley

Ocre lies just outside L'Aquila: a municipality of scattered hamlets on the mountain slopes south of the city, overlooking the Aterno valley, at around 850 metres. The ruins of the castle of Ocre still stand above the valley, and the landscape is one of meadows, woods and small stone settlements.

Being close to the city shapes the municipality: many residents work in L'Aquila, and declared incomes are above the provincial average. Buyers find stone village houses, many repaired or rebuilt in recent years, and newer small villas with gardens. The climate zone is E, with cold winters and possible snow; steep roads and winter access should be assessed for each house.

There were 1,098 residents in 2023, almost the same as in 2011 (down 1.1%). The average age is 48.7 against 47.5 for the province, over-65s are 29.4% and foreign nationals 6.6%.

Like the whole L'Aquila basin, Ocre is in seismic zone 1, the highest, along with 102 other municipalities in the province, with an expected ground acceleration in the built-up area of 0.261 g. Before buying, ask for the paperwork on any repair or seismic upgrading work, the structural sign-offs and the status of any grant applications.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes cadastral maps, and the report links the address to its land parcel. On the slopes, gradient and landslide hazard vary from one hamlet to the next: they are read on the official maps for the exact address.

Key points

  • Hamlets on the slopes south of L'Aquila, above the Aterno valley.
  • Seismic zone 1, expected acceleration 0.261 g.
  • Population almost stable, down 1.1% since 2011.
  • Incomes above the provincial average, over-65s at 29.4%.

Overview

Ocre is a municipality in the province of L'Aquila, in Abruzzo. At the end of 2023 it had 1,098 residents, ranked 43 of 108 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Ocre is in seismic zone 1, the highest-risk zone, where very strong earthquakes are possible. Most municipalities in the province (103 of 108) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.261 g, a high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Ocre, 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 1.1%. The estimated average age is 49 years, in line with the province. 29% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 26%). Foreign residents make up 6.6% of the population. On average, a household has 2.2 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Ocre declared an average taxable income of 25,701 euros, above the provincial average (22,903 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Ocre is in climate zone E, with 2,810 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 850 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Ocre has 2 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 1 sports facility.

The data shows no grocery shops and supermarkets within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.7 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 3.8% of the land in Ocre, compared with 3.2% in the province and 5.1% 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 open contaminated sites in Ocre; one has been cleaned up or closed.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Ocre: 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 Ocre 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 17 inhabited census areas in Ocre. 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 066059. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.