Petrella Tifernina: what to know before buying a home
A municipality in the province of Campobasso, Molise. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.
Liveability index free for any address
Land sheet 6 free checks
Search for an address in Petrella Tifernina
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 Vittorio Emanuele Terzo 1, Petrella Tifernina.
Petrella Tifernina, the church of San Giorgio above the Biferno
Tifernus was the ancient name of the Biferno, the Molise river flowing through the valley below the village, and that is where the second part of Petrella's name comes from. The village stands at about 650 metres in the hills of the province of Campobasso, and keeps the Romanesque church of San Giorgio Martire, built in stone, with carvings on its façade and doorways.
The regional capital, Campobasso, is a short drive away and is the reference point for work, secondary schools, the hospital and public offices. In the village, homes are mainly stone houses in the centre, often on several floors, and newer houses on the edges; in the countryside there are houses with land. The climate zone is E, with cold, windy winters. Declared incomes are below the provincial average.
In 2023 there were 1,033 residents, down 14.3% on 2011. The average age is 50.8 against 47.6 for the province, and over-65s make up 33.8%, above the provincial 26.5%. Foreign nationals account for 1.5%.
Most municipalities in the province of Campobasso, 64 of them, are in seismic zone 2, like Petrella; 11 are in zone 1 and 9 in zone 3. The expected ground acceleration in the built-up area is 0.216 g, a high value. For a stone house in the centre, often leaning against its neighbours, ask what structural work has been done and have it assessed.
Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps cover the municipality, and the report traces the address to its land parcel. On the clay slopes running down to the Biferno, landslide hazard and gradient are checked on the official maps for the exact spot.
Key points
- Village above the Biferno valley, with the Romanesque church of San Giorgio.
- Seismic zone 2, high expected acceleration: 0.216 g.
- Population down 14.3% since 2011.
- Over-65s at 33.8%, against 26.5% in the province.
Overview
Petrella Tifernina is a municipality in the province of Campobasso, in Molise. At the end of 2023 it had 1,033 residents, ranked 43 of 84 municipalities in the province.
Earthquakes
For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Petrella Tifernina is in seismic zone 2, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible. Most municipalities in the province (64 of 84) are in the same zone.
In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.216 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.
For anyone buying in Petrella Tifernina, 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 14.3%. The estimated average age is 51 years, higher than the province average (48). 34% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 27%). Foreign residents make up 1.5% of the population. On average, a household has 2.1 members.
Income and climate
In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Petrella Tifernina declared an average taxable income of 17,915 euros, below the provincial average (19,995 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.
Petrella Tifernina is in climate zone E, with 2,185 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 651 metres above sea level.
Services
In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Petrella Tifernina has 3 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 1 grocery shop.
The data shows no healthcare facilities within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.5 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 3.1% of the land in Petrella Tifernina, compared with 4.3% in the province and 4.0% 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 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 no contaminated sites in Petrella Tifernina.
Landslides and flooding
Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Petrella Tifernina: 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 Petrella Tifernina 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 11 inhabited census areas in Petrella Tifernina. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 64 or more.
Residents by band
- modest 0.5%
- fair 99.5%
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
- 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.
- 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 070052. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.