Rancio Valcuvia: what to know before buying a home
A municipality in the province of Varese, Lombardia. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.
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Search for an address in Rancio Valcuvia
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 Matteotti 1, Rancio Valcuvia.
Rancio Valcuvia, a valley village in the Varese Prealps
The Valcuvia is a green, lightly built-up valley in the Prealps of Varese, hemmed in by wooded mountains between Varese and Lake Maggiore. Rancio Valcuvia occupies one stretch of it, with the village at the foot of the slopes and the fields of the valley floor in front. Even its name ties it to the valley.
People who live here usually work elsewhere: in Varese, in the industrial towns of the province, or across the border in Switzerland, where many cross-border commuters from this area are employed. The valley roads lead quickly towards the lake and towards Varese, but everything depends on the car. The village has basic services; for secondary schools and the hospital you go elsewhere. Homes are mainly detached houses and small blocks of flats, next to an old core of stone courtyards.
In 2023 there were 918 residents, down 1.8% on 2011, according to Istat, the national statistics office. The population is slightly younger than the provincial average: the average age is 45.4 against 46.5, and over-65s make up 23.3% against 24.7%. Households average 2.18 people and foreign residents account for 7.1%. Declared incomes are below the provincial figure.
Earthquake hazard is low: all 136 municipalities in the province of Varese are in seismic zone 4 under the Civil Protection classification, and in Rancio the expected ground acceleration is 0.039 g. In this damp valley, sun exposure, insulation and the state of walls in contact with the ground matter more.
For a house at the foot of a slope or close to the streams running down into the valley, the report reads the official landslide and flood maps for the individual address. The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes cadastral maps here.
Key points
- Valcuvia village, between Varese and Lake Maggiore.
- Population down 1.8% since 2011, average age 45.4.
- All 136 municipalities in the province in seismic zone 4.
- Revenue Agency cadastral maps available.
Overview
Rancio Valcuvia is a municipality in the province of Varese, in Lombardia. At the end of 2023 it had 918 residents, ranked 119 of 136 municipalities in the province.
Earthquakes
For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Rancio Valcuvia is in seismic zone 4, the lowest-risk zone, where strong earthquakes are very rare. All 136 municipalities in the province are in the same zone.
In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.039 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 1.8%. The estimated average age is 45 years, in line with the province. 23% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 24%). Foreign residents make up 7.1% of the population. On average, a household has 2.2 members.
Income and climate
In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Rancio Valcuvia declared an average taxable income of 20,229 euros, below the provincial average (27,186 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.
Rancio Valcuvia is in climate zone E, with 2,534 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 296 metres above sea level.
Services
In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Rancio Valcuvia has 1 school. The Overture Maps data also lists 2 grocery shops and supermarkets.
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 Rancio Valcuvia.
How built-up it is
Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 10.0% of the land in Rancio Valcuvia, compared with 21.1% in the province and 12.2% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.
Radon and contaminated sites
Rancio Valcuvia is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Lombardia in 2023. 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 Rancio Valcuvia.
Landslides and flooding
Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Rancio Valcuvia: 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 Rancio Valcuvia 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 11 inhabited census areas in Rancio Valcuvia. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 64 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
- Seismic classification of municipalities, Dipartimento della Protezione Civile. Licence CC BY 4.0, updated to 2025-05.
- MPS04 seismic hazard model, INGV. Licence CC BY 4.0, 2004 model.
- Data by census section, Istat. Licence CC BY 4.0, residents at the end of 2023, compared with the 2011 census.
- Places, Overture Maps Foundation. Licence CDLA Permissive 2.0 and others depending on provider, release 2026-10-21.0.
- Public transport timetables (GTFS): Trenord, Regione Lombardia - Trenord, orari ferroviari (GTFS). Licence CC BY 4.0, version 20261111.
- Income and main IRPEF variables by municipality, MEF, Dipartimento delle Finanze. Licence CC BY 3.0 IT, tax year 2024.
- Climate zones and heating degree days of municipalities (Presidential Decree 412/1993, Annex A), Normattiva. Licence CC BY 4.0, current text.
- Land take, territorial dynamics and ecosystem services, ISPRA e SNPA. Licence CC BY 4.0, 2024 data.
- Predictive radon map by municipality, ISPRA. Licence CC BY 4.0, version 2022-11.
- Radon priority areas (Legislative Decree 101/2020), Regione Lombardia, national list compiled by ARPA Lombardia. Licence Atto pubblico (art. 5 L. 633/1941), 2023.
- Contaminated sites, Regione Lombardia. Licence CC0 1.0 (pubblico dominio), updated to 15 November 2026.
- Liveability index by census area, Vicinalia, from the data in the report sections. Licence CC BY-SA 4.0, worked out on 30 September 2026.
- List of Italian municipalities, Istat. Licence CC BY 4.0, updated to 21 February 2026.
ISTAT code 012115. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.