Reggio nell'Emilia: what to know before buying a home
A municipality in the province of Reggio nell'Emilia, Emilia-Romagna. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.
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Search for an address in Reggio nell'Emilia
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 Fratelli Cervi 1, Reggio nell'Emilia.
Reggio Emilia, birthplace of the Italian flag
On 7 January 1797, in Reggio nell'Emilia, better known as Reggio Emilia, the green, white and red tricolour was adopted for the first time as the flag of a state, the Cispadane Republic, and the council chamber where it happened is still called the Sala del Tricolore. The city, on the Via Emilia between Parma and Modena, is also known for its municipal nurseries and pre-schools, whose approach to early education is studied around the world, and for an economy of engineering and food businesses, starting with Parmigiano Reggiano.
Among Emilia-Romagna's provincial capitals it has the youngest population: an estimated average age of 44.7 and 21.4% of residents over 65, against 24.7% for the region. At the end of 2023 there were 171,207 residents, 5.6% more than in 2011 and 32.4% of the province's population. Foreign nationals make up 16.7%, and households average about 2.1 people.
One seismic figure needs a careful read. Reggio Emilia is classified in zone 3, the second-lowest of four classes, like 34 municipalities in its province, while 8 are in zone 2; yet the expected ground acceleration in the built-up area, about 0.156 g, is already above the 0.15 g limit national criteria use to separate zone 3 from zone 2. In practice, when buying it makes sense to think as you would in a medium-hazard area: when was the building designed, which seismic rules were applied and what strengthening has been done?
The services data show 143 schools, 110 healthcare facilities and 166 sports facilities, plus 54 pharmacies. Cadastral maps published by the Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) let the report find the plot from the address. Landslide and flood hazard cannot be summed up for the whole city: between canals, streams and the plain they change from place to place, and the report checks them at the address, together with local price ranges.
Key points
- The youngest provincial capital in Emilia-Romagna: average age 44.7.
- 171,207 residents, up 5.6% since 2011.
- Seismic zone 3, but expected acceleration about 0.156 g.
- Cadastral maps published: plot found from the address.
Overview
Reggio nell'Emilia is the capital of the province of Reggio nell'Emilia, in Emilia-Romagna. At the end of 2023 it had 171,207 residents, the most populous municipality in the province. 32% of the province's residents live here.
Earthquakes
For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Reggio nell'Emilia is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. Most municipalities in the province (34 of 42) are in the same zone.
In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.156 g, a medium-high 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 5.6%. The estimated average age is 45 years, in line with the province. 21% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 25%). Foreign residents make up 16.7% of the population. On average, a household has 2.1 members.
Income and climate
In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Reggio nell'Emilia declared an average taxable income of 28,159 euros, in line with the province (27,273 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.
Reggio nell'Emilia is in climate zone E, with 2,560 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 58 metres above sea level.
Services
In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Reggio nell'Emilia has 143 schools and 54 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 72 grocery shops and supermarkets, 110 healthcare facilities, 166 sports facilities and 41 parks and green areas.
There are 0.4 grocery shops and supermarkets per 1,000 residents, fewer 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 21.4% of the land in Reggio nell'Emilia, compared with 11.1% in the province and 9.0% in the region. In 2024 built-up land grew by 17.3 hectares.
Radon and contaminated sites
Reggio nell'Emilia is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Emilia-Romagna 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 27 contaminated sites, or sites still under investigation, in Reggio nell'Emilia, and 16 more have been cleaned up or closed. The report tells you whether one is close to the address.
Landslides and flooding
Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Reggio nell'Emilia: 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 Reggio nell'Emilia 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 1,721 inhabited census areas in Reggio nell'Emilia. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 60 or more.
Residents by band
- modest 4.8%
- fair 83.0%
- good 12.2%
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
- 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.
- 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 Emilia-Romagna, national list compiled by ARPA Lombardia. Licence Atto pubblico (art. 5 L. 633/1941), 2026.
- Contaminated sites, ISPRA, MOSAICO - Banca dati nazionale dei siti oggetto di procedimento di bonifica. Licence CC BY 4.0, updated to 12 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 035033. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.