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Pignola: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of Potenza, Basilicata. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Pignola

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 Pantano 1, Pignola.

Pignola, above Potenza between Lake Pantano and the woods

Pignola looks down on Potenza from the south, from high ground at around 900 metres, and in recent decades it has become one of the places where people who work in the regional capital of Basilicata choose to live. Its territory includes Lake Pantano di Pignola, a nature reserve where many migrating birds can be seen, and the countryside rises towards the woods and ridges of the Apennines.

The growth shows in the housing. Next to the compact, sloping old centre, residential areas of detached houses and small blocks of flats have appeared, often along the roads leading down to Potenza. At this altitude winter is long and snow is not unusual (climate zone E): insulation, windows, heating and access when roads freeze all weigh heavily in the choice.

Pignola is much younger than the provincial average: the average age is 44.2 against 47.3, and over-65s are 19.6% against 25.7%. The population is 6,811 (2023), up 1.7% since 2011, while much of Basilicata is losing people. Foreign residents make up 2.6%, and average declared incomes are above the provincial level.

Earthquake hazard is high. In the province of Potenza, 40 municipalities are in seismic zone 1, the highest in Italy's national classification, and Pignola is one of them, with an expected ground acceleration of about 0.227 g. For houses built before current seismic standards, ask for the structural design and any upgrading work; for old masonry in the centre, a survey before purchase is money well spent.

Landslides are widespread on the slopes of the Lucanian Apennines, and even in the newer areas the ground needs checking: the report does this for the address using the official maps.

Key points

  • High ground south of Potenza, with Lake Pantano.
  • Average age 44.2, well below the provincial average.
  • Seismic zone 1, expected acceleration 0.227 g.
  • Population up 1.7% since 2011.

Overview

Pignola is a municipality in the province of Potenza, in Basilicata. At the end of 2023 it had 6,811 residents, among the most populous in the province (9 of 100).

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Pignola is in seismic zone 1, the highest-risk zone, where very strong earthquakes are possible. The region uses a finer breakdown: here the classification is 1b. Only 40 of 100 municipalities in the province are in zone 1.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.227 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Pignola, 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 grown by 1.7%. The estimated average age is 44 years, lower than the province average (47). 20% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 25%). Foreign residents make up 2.6% of the population. On average, a household has 2.5 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Pignola declared an average taxable income of 21,781 euros, above the provincial average (20,337 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Pignola is in climate zone E, with 2,593 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 926 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Pignola has 6 schools and 2 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 2 grocery shops and supermarkets, 1 healthcare facility, 4 sports facilities and 2 parks and green areas.

There are 0.1 healthcare facilities per 1,000 residents, fewer than the province average (0.6).

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 5.1% of the land in Pignola, compared with 3.5% in the province and 3.2% 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 Pignola.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Pignola: 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 Pignola 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 47 inhabited census areas in Pignola. 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 076062. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.