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Pietracatella: 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

Search for an address in Pietracatella

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, Pietracatella.

Pietracatella, farmland and hills east of Campobasso

Wheat fields, pasture and ridge roads: Pietracatella's landscape is that of inland Molise, in the hills east of Campobasso. The village stands above 700 metres, with cold winters (climate zone E) and breezy summers. Campobasso is the town people rely on for work, secondary schools and hospital.

The old centre is compact, with stone houses often arranged over several levels. Around the village are newer buildings and, in the countryside, farmhouses and outbuildings. Buying in the centre means dealing with narrow access and stairs; choosing the countryside means distances and the upkeep of shared private roads.

There were 1,234 residents in 2023, 13.9% fewer than in 2011 according to Istat, the national statistics office. The average age is 46.8, slightly below 47.6 for the province, and over-65s make up 26.5%, the same as the provincial average. Foreign nationals account for 2.9%. The average declared income is below that of the province of Campobasso.

Seismic hazard needs careful thought. Pietracatella is in zone 2, like 63 other municipalities in the province, with an expected ground acceleration of about 0.203 g. After the earthquakes of recent decades, many buildings in Molise were repaired with public grants, so ask for the reconstruction or seismic upgrading file, if there is one.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes the cadastral maps, and the report traces the address back to the land parcel. Clay slopes in this area can move, so the report checks the official landslide maps for the position of the house.

Key points

  • Hill village east of Campobasso, above 700 metres.
  • Population down 13.9% since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 2, expected acceleration 0.203 g.
  • Ask for any reconstruction or strengthening files.

Overview

Pietracatella is a municipality in the province of Campobasso, in Molise. At the end of 2023 it had 1,234 residents, ranked 32 of 84 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Pietracatella 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 0.203 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Pietracatella, 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 13.9%. The estimated average age is 47 years, in line with the province. 26% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 27%). Foreign residents make up 2.9% of the population. On average, a household has 2.2 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Pietracatella declared an average taxable income of 15,829 euros, below the provincial average (19,995 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Pietracatella is in climate zone E, with 2,303 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 721 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Pietracatella 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 2.7% of the land in Pietracatella, compared with 4.3% in the province and 4.0% in the region. In 2024 built-up land grew by 1.8 hectares.

Radon and contaminated sites

Official databases list one contaminated site, or site still under investigation, in Pietracatella. 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 Pietracatella: 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 Pietracatella 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 15 inhabited census areas in Pietracatella. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 60 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 1.2%
  • fair 98.8%

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 070053. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.