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Plesio: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Plesio

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 alla Grona 1, Plesio.

Plesio, on the mountainside above Menaggio

From the western shore of Lake Como, around Menaggio, the road climbs towards the inland valleys, and Plesio sits on this slope at around 570 metres, its hamlets scattered among meadows and chestnut woods. The lake is visible from many spots in the village, but life here is that of a mountain community rather than a lakeside resort.

People buy here for peace and fresh air, with the lake and its services a short drive away. Houses are mostly village homes and small villas, sometimes converted old rural buildings. Before buying, consider winter access, since roads are narrow and steep, along with sun exposure and heating costs in climate zone E.

According to Istat, the national statistics office, Plesio had 822 residents in 2023, 20 fewer than in 2011 (a fall of 2.4%). The average age is 49.3 against 46.3 in the province of Como, and over-65s make up 27.5%. Foreign residents account for 9.2%. Declared incomes are lower than the provincial average.

The province is uniform and calm when it comes to earthquakes: all 147 municipalities around Como are in zone 4, the lowest class on the Civil Protection scale, and expected ground acceleration in Plesio is about 0.040 g. In older houses it is more useful to check the roof, damp in walls set against the hillside and the systems.

On the slopes, landslides and minor ground movement depend on the individual plot, and the report checks the official maps for the exact address. The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes cadastral maps here, so the report finds the land parcel from the address.

Key points

  • Mountain village above the western shore of Lake Como.
  • All 147 municipalities in the province in seismic zone 4.
  • 822 residents, down 2.4% since 2011.
  • Narrow, steep roads: think about winter access.

Overview

Plesio is a municipality in the province of Como, in Lombardia. At the end of 2023 it had 822 residents, ranked 112 of 147 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Plesio is in seismic zone 4, the lowest-risk zone, where strong earthquakes are very rare. All 147 municipalities in the province are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.040 g, a low value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

In zone 4 the risk is low, but for an older building it is still worth asking about the state of the structure.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has fallen by 2.4%. The estimated average age is 49 years, higher than the province average (46). 27% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 24%). Foreign residents make up 9.2% of the population. On average, a household has 2.0 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Plesio declared an average taxable income of 21,832 euros, below the provincial average (26,761 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Plesio is in climate zone E, with 2,880 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 571 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Plesio has 2 schools. The Overture Maps data also lists 1 grocery shop.

The data shows no pharmacies within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.3 per 1,000 residents.

Public transport

The open timetables available for the area do not list any stops within the territory of Plesio.

How built-up it is

Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 2.8% of the land in Plesio, compared with 12.3% in the province and 12.2% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Plesio is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Lombardia in 2023. 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 Plesio.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Plesio: 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 Plesio 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 12 inhabited census areas in Plesio. 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 013185. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.