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Potenza: what to know before buying a home

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

Search for an address in Potenza

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.

Potenza, a mountain capital

At over 800 metres above sea level, Potenza is the highest regional capital in Italy. The city stretches along a ridge above the Basento valley, with its historic centre gathered at the top and newer districts on the slopes, linked partly by a system of public escalators. It is the regional capital of Basilicata.

In a province of 100 municipalities, 40 of which are in seismic zone 1, Potenza is in zone 2, with the code 2a in the Basilicata Region's own classification. In the province 59 municipalities are in zone 2 and only one is in zone 3. The expected ground acceleration in the built-up area is about 0.20 g, a medium-high value. Buyers should find out when the building was designed, whether it has had a seismic assessment and what work has been done, and ask for the documents.

At the end of 2023 there were 64,070 residents, 4.1% fewer than in 2011, and 18.7% of the province's population. The estimated average age is 47.5, over-65s make up 25.8%, and the average household has 2.27 people. Foreign residents account for just 2.6%.

Services are denser than in the rest of the province. Overture Maps data record 56 schools and education sites (0.87 per 1,000 residents against 1.35 in the province), 45 healthcare facilities and 50 sports facilities. The Ministry of Health lists 21 pharmacies, 0.33 per 1,000 residents against a provincial average of 0.46.

Potenza's cadastral maps are published by the Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate), and the report traces the plot from the address. In a city built on slopes, landslide and flood hazard and the local price range change a great deal from one street to the next, and the report checks them at the exact address.

Key points

  • Italy's highest regional capital, above 800 metres.
  • Seismic zone 2 (regional code 2a); 40 municipalities in the province are in zone 1.
  • Population down 4.1% since 2011.
  • Many schools per resident, fewer pharmacies than the provincial average.

Overview

Potenza is the capital of the province of Potenza, in Basilicata. At the end of 2023 it had 64,070 residents, the most populous municipality in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Potenza is in seismic zone 2, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible. The region uses a finer breakdown: here the classification is 2a. Most municipalities in the province (59 of 100) 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 Potenza, 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.

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 Potenza.

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 fallen by 4.1%. The estimated average age is 48 years, in line with the province. 26% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 25%). Foreign residents make up 2.6% of the population. On average, a household has 2.3 members.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Potenza has 56 schools and 21 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 38 grocery shops and supermarkets, 45 healthcare facilities, 50 sports facilities and 19 parks and green areas.

There are 0.9 schools per 1,000 residents, fewer than the province average (1.3).

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 Potenza: the report finds the building's parcel, that is its sheet and parcel number, starting from the address.

Data sources

ISTAT code 076063. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.