Pettorano sul Gizio: what to know before buying a home
A municipality in the province of L'Aquila, Abruzzo. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.
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Search for an address in Pettorano sul Gizio
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 Vallelarga 1, Pettorano sul Gizio.
Pettorano sul Gizio, a castle village above the Peligna valley
The Cantelmo castle and its tower mark the skyline of Pettorano sul Gizio from a distance, a stone village built on the slope above the river that gives it its name. It stands at the southern end of the Peligna valley, just south of Sulmona, on the road that climbs towards the high plateaus and Roccaraso. Much of the territory is mountain and woodland, protected by the Monte Genzana Alto Gizio nature reserve.
Sulmona, with its hospital, secondary schools and railway station, is close by, so people working there or down in the valley find homes here with short journeys. The old centre is made up of stone houses on several levels, alleys and steps; outside the village there are newer homes. Winters are long and cold (climate zone E), so insulation and heating need checking.
There were 1,280 residents in 2023, according to Istat, the national statistics office, down 6.1% on 2011. The average age of 48.2 is close to the 47.5 of the province of L'Aquila, and over-65s are 25.4% against 26.4%. Foreign residents are 6.1%. Declared incomes are below the provincial average.
Seismic hazard is high: Pettorano is in zone 1, like 102 other municipalities in the province, and the expected ground acceleration in the village is 0.258 g. For a house in the old village, always ask for the year of construction, any seismic upgrading work and the documents filed for it.
The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes cadastral maps, so the report reaches the land parcel. Along the Gizio and on the slopes, the report checks the official flood and landslide maps for each address, as well as the gradient of the ground.
Key points
- Stone village with a castle, south of Sulmona.
- Seismic zone 1, expected acceleration 0.258 g.
- Population down 6.1% since 2011.
- Over-65s at 25.4%, against 26.4% in the province.
Overview
Pettorano sul Gizio is a municipality in the province of L'Aquila, in Abruzzo. At the end of 2023 it had 1,280 residents, ranked 38 of 108 municipalities in the province.
Earthquakes
For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Pettorano sul Gizio 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 Pettorano sul Gizio, 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 6.1%. The estimated average age is 48 years, in line with the province. 25% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 26%). Foreign residents make up 6.1% of the population. On average, a household has 2.4 members.
Income and climate
In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Pettorano sul Gizio declared an average taxable income of 20,942 euros, below the provincial average (22,903 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.
Pettorano sul Gizio is in climate zone E, with 2,407 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 625 metres above sea level.
Services
In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Pettorano sul Gizio has 2 schools and 2 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 1 grocery shop 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 1.5% of the land in Pettorano sul Gizio, 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 contaminated sites in Pettorano sul Gizio.
Landslides and flooding
Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Pettorano sul Gizio: 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 Pettorano sul Gizio 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 25 inhabited census areas in Pettorano sul Gizio. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 60 or more.
Residents by band
- modest 0.9%
- fair 99.1%
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 066071. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.