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Pozzallo: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Pozzallo

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 Napoli 1, Pozzallo.

Pozzallo, the ferry port for Malta and the Ragusa beaches

Pozzallo is the seaside town of the province of Ragusa that faces Malta, linked to the island by a fast ferry service. Its landmark is the Torre Cabrera, a tower on the seafront around which the town grew; it is also the birthplace of Giorgio La Pira, the celebrated mayor of Florence. Besides the port there are long sandy beaches, which in summer also fill with families from Modica, Ragusa and further inland.

Many homes near the sea are second homes owned by families from inland, and in summer short lets are a big part of the market. If you want to live here all year, there are apartment blocks and houses in the centre near the port and detached houses along the coast towards Ispica. The Syracuse-Gela railway has a station in town, but most people drive to Modica and Ragusa.

The population is stable: 18,903 residents at the end of 2023, almost the same as in 2011 (-0.1%, according to Istat, the national statistics office). The estimated average age, 44.0, matches the province, households average 2.49 people and foreign nationals make up 4.1%. Declared incomes are above the average for the province of Ragusa.

South-eastern Sicily is one of Italy's most earthquake-prone areas: in 1693 an earthquake destroyed most of its towns, later rebuilt in the Baroque style they are famous for. In the province, 5 municipalities are in zone 1 of the Civil Protection Department's classification; Pozzallo is in zone 2, with an expected ground acceleration in the built-up area of about 0.122 g. For a flat in a seafront block, ask for the structural design, the condition of steel exposed to salt air and any work carried out.

The low, sandy coast is exposed to storm surges and erosion, and the small streams reaching the sea can flood nearby areas. The report locates the land parcel on the Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps and checks the official maps at that point.

Key points

  • Fast ferries to Malta, Torre Cabrera on the seafront.
  • Many second homes, station on the Syracuse-Gela line.
  • Seismic zone 2, expected acceleration about 0.122 g.
  • 18,903 residents, stable since 2011.

Overview

Pozzallo is a municipality in the province of Ragusa, in Sicilia. At the end of 2023 it had 18,903 residents, ranked 6 of 12 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Pozzallo is in seismic zone 2, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible. Most municipalities in the province (7 of 12) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.122 g, a moderate value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Pozzallo, 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 number of residents is nearly unchanged. The estimated average age is 44 years, in line with the province. 22% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 23%). Foreign residents make up 4.1% of the population. On average, a household has 2.5 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Pozzallo declared an average taxable income of 19,445 euros, above the provincial average (17,930 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Pozzallo is in climate zone B, with 800 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 1 December to 31 March, for up to 8 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 20 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Pozzallo has 22 schools and 6 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 15 grocery shops and supermarkets, 9 healthcare facilities, 12 sports facilities and 1 green area.

There are 0.8 grocery shops and supermarkets per 1,000 residents, more 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 29.4% of the land in Pozzallo, compared with 10.6% in the province and 6.6% in the region. In 2024 built-up land grew by 0.7 hectares.

Radon and contaminated sites

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 Pozzallo.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Pozzallo: 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 Pozzallo 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 78 inhabited census areas in Pozzallo. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 81 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 7.6%
  • good 34.0%
  • very good 58.4%

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 088008. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.