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Pisa: what to know before buying a home

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

Search for an address in Pisa

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 Dante 7, Milan.

Pisa is famous worldwide for its Leaning Tower and cathedral square, but for someone buying a home here another feature matters more: this is a university city, home to the University of Pisa and the Scuola Normale Superiore, with the Arno flowing through it a few kilometres from the sea. Once a maritime republic and the birthplace of Galileo Galilei, it also has an international airport right on the edge of town.

The mark left by students and services is visible in the data. Overture Maps records 82 schools and education sites in Pisa (0.92 per 1,000 residents, against 0.87 across the province), 119 healthcare facilities (1.34 against 0.71) and 851 cafés, bars and restaurants, which works out at 9.55 per 1,000 residents. The Ministry of Health lists 28 pharmacies.

Household structure stands out as well: an average of 1.89 people, a sign that many residents live alone. At the end of 2023 there were 89,117 residents, up 3.8% on the 2011 census and 21.3% of the provincial population. The estimated average age is 47.3, over-65s account for 26.1% and foreign residents for 13.8%.

Seismic classification is the same for all 37 municipalities in the province: zone 3, the second lowest of Italy's four classes. In Pisa the expected ground acceleration in the built-up area is about 0.118 g, a moderate value. Anti-seismic rules apply to new construction, so for a historic palazzo or a block that is a few decades old, ask about the design date and any structural work.

Buyers in Pisa will find the land registry complete: the Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes the maps, and the report identifies the sheet and parcel (foglio and particella) from the address. Flood and landslide hazard and the local price range, however, cannot be summarised for the whole city, so the report reads them at the exact location of the property.

Key points

  • University city: 0.92 education sites per 1,000 residents.
  • Population up 3.8% since 2011.
  • Households of 1.89 people on average.
  • Whole province in seismic zone 3.

Overview

Pisa is the capital of the province of Pisa, in Toscana. At the end of 2023 it had 89,117 residents, the most populous municipality in the province. 21% of the province's residents live here.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Pisa is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. All 37 municipalities in the province are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.118 g, a moderate value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

Even in zone 3, seismic standards apply to new buildings: for an older building, ask about the design year and any structural work.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood risk changes from one street to the next, even within the same municipality: for this reason we do not summarise it as a single figure for the whole of Pisa.

The report checks the exact address against the ISPRA national maps and tells you in plain words whether the building falls within an at-risk area. The official map is also available on IdroGEO.

House prices

We do not publish price tables by municipality. The report gives the minimum and maximum price per square metre for the address's zone, from the Revenue Agency's OMI valuations, with the reference half-year. It is a range for the zone, not the value of a specific home.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has grown by 3.8%. The estimated average age is 47 years, in line with the province. 26% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 26%). Foreign residents make up 13.8% of the population. On average, a household has 1.9 members.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Pisa has 82 schools and 28 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 46 grocery shops and supermarkets, 119 healthcare facilities, 138 sports facilities and 21 parks and green areas.

There are 1.3 healthcare facilities per 1,000 residents, more than the province average (0.7).

This data is gathered from several providers: services may be missing or closed businesses may still appear. The report counts services within 500 metres and 1 kilometre of the address.

Public transport

We do not yet have open public transport timetables for this municipality: the report says so explicitly, without inventing distances.

Land registry

The Revenue Agency publishes the cadastral maps for Pisa: the report finds the building's parcel, that is its sheet and parcel number, starting from the address.

Data sources

ISTAT code 050026. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.