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Ortucchio: 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 Ortucchio

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 Balena 1, Ortucchio.

Ortucchio, on the edge of the Fucino plain

Ortucchio lies on the eastern edge of the Fucino plain in the Marsica area of Abruzzo, where there was once a large lake, drained in the nineteenth century and turned into an expanse of farmland, much of it given over to vegetables. The village castle recalls the time when the water reached this far. Avezzano is the area's main town for work and services; L'Aquila and Rome are reachable by car, the latter by motorway.

The plain's economy is agricultural and the village follows its rhythm. Homes are mostly masonry houses in the centre, buildings rebuilt during the twentieth century and newer construction on the edges. The climate zone is E, and winters on the plain are cold, with frost and fog, so heating and insulation weigh on bills.

Istat, the national statistics office, counts 1,733 residents in 2023, down 7.0% since 2011. The average age is 46.8, close to the 47.5 of the province of L'Aquila, and over-65s make up 26.6%. Foreign residents are 11.6% and households average 2.33 people. Declared incomes are below the provincial average.

For buyers, earthquakes are the main issue. Ortucchio is in seismic zone 1, like 102 other municipalities in the province, with an expected ground acceleration in the built-up area of 0.258 g. Ask for the year of construction, the structural records and any upgrading work, and have a surveyor look at the house before signing.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes the cadastral maps: the report finds the land parcel and checks the official flood and landslide maps for the address.

Key points

  • Village on the edge of the Fucino plain, a drained former lake.
  • Residents down 7.0% since 2011, foreign residents 11.6%.
  • Seismic zone 1, expected acceleration 0.258 g.
  • Ask for the structural records before signing.

Overview

Ortucchio is a municipality in the province of L'Aquila, in Abruzzo. At the end of 2023 it had 1,733 residents, ranked 27 of 108 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Ortucchio 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 0.258 g, a high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Ortucchio, 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 7.0%. The estimated average age is 47 years, in line with the province. 27% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 26%). Foreign residents make up 11.6% of the population. On average, a household has 2.3 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Ortucchio declared an average taxable income of 19,522 euros, below the provincial average (22,903 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Ortucchio is in climate zone E, with 2,534 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 680 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Ortucchio has 3 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 2 grocery shops and supermarkets and 1 sports facility.

The data shows no healthcare facilities 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 3.9% of the land in Ortucchio, compared with 3.2% in the province and 5.1% in the region. In 2024 built-up land grew by 1.2 hectares.

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 2 contaminated sites, or sites still under investigation, in Ortucchio. 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 Ortucchio: 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 Ortucchio 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 14 inhabited census areas in Ortucchio. 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 066064. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.