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Ranzo: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Ranzo

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 Umberto I 1, Ranzo.

Ranzo, the lower Arroscia valley towards the Albenga plain

Ranzo lies low down, at little more than a hundred metres, in the lower part of the Arroscia valley, where the valley floor widens before the river reaches the Albenga plain. The municipality is in the province of Imperia, but for shops, secondary schools and work it looks mainly to Albenga and the coast of the Savona area, which are a short drive away.

The land is made of terraced slopes, woods and small clusters of houses above the river. For a buyer, what counts is position relative to the Arroscia, which on the valley floor should be checked on the official flood hazard maps, and the stability of terraces and dry-stone walls for houses on slopes. Homes are mostly stone village houses and rural buildings, with some newer construction along the valley road. The climate zone is E.

The population is stable, with a slight rise: 562 residents in 2023, 6 more than in 2011 according to Istat, the national statistics office. Foreign residents make up 17.8%, while over-65s are at 28.6%, in line with the 28.5% of the province. The estimated average age is 48.4. Average declared incomes are slightly below the provincial average.

Ranzo is in seismic zone 3 of the Civil Protection classification, like 36 of the 66 municipalities in the province of Imperia, with an expected ground acceleration of about 0.142 g. In a stone house, check the walls, floors and roof.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps are published and the report finds the land parcel from the address, with landslides and floods read at the exact point.

Key points

  • Lower Arroscia valley, near the Albenga plain.
  • Stable population: 6 more than in 2011.
  • Foreign residents at 17.8%, over-65s at 28.6%.
  • Seismic zone 3, expected acceleration about 0.142 g.

Overview

Ranzo is a municipality in the province of Imperia, in Liguria. At the end of 2023 it had 562 residents, ranked 40 of 66 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Ranzo is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. Most municipalities in the province (36 of 66) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.142 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.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has grown by 1.1%. The estimated average age is 48 years, in line with the province. 29% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 29%). Foreign residents make up 17.8% of the population. On average, a household has 2.1 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Ranzo declared an average taxable income of 19,989 euros, below the provincial average (21,487 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Ranzo is in climate zone E, with 2,103 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 124 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Ranzo has 1 school and 1 pharmacy.

The data shows no grocery shops and supermarkets within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.9 per 1,000 residents.

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 5.4% of the land in Ranzo, compared with 6.4% in the province and 7.3% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Ranzo is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Liguria in 2026. 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 Ranzo.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Ranzo: 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 Ranzo 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 16 inhabited census areas in Ranzo. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 55 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 4.8%
  • fair 95.2%

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 008048. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.