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Rocca di Papa: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Rocca di Papa

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 Frascati 1, Rocca di Papa.

Rocca di Papa, on the slopes of Monte Cavo in the Castelli Romani

Rocca di Papa is built in tiers on the flank of Monte Cavo, the summit of the Alban Hills that looks down on the lakes of Albano and Nemi. The town hall stands at around seven hundred metres, higher than most of the Castelli Romani, the group of hill towns south-east of Rome, and the old village climbs steeply towards its fortress. Around it, over the decades, residential areas have spread through the chestnut woods of the regional park and along the roads running down to the Via dei Laghi.

Many who come from Rome are looking for more space and greenery at lower prices than the capital, and they find it. The price is the commute: there is no railway station in the municipality, and people reach Rome by car or by driving down to the railway in the towns below. In winter, in climate zone E, fog, ice and the odd snowfall can arrive at this height, and the steep roads make it felt.

The population has grown strongly. In 2023 there were 17,648 residents, 13.3% more than in 2011, an increase of 2,072. The estimated average age is 43.9, below the metropolitan area's 46.0, and over-65s make up 19.4%. Foreign residents account for 13.3%. Declared incomes are below the provincial average, which Rome pushes up.

The Alban Hills are a dormant volcanic district that periodically records swarms of small earthquakes. Under the zones set by Italy's Civil Protection Department, 97 municipalities in the province are in zone 2 like Rocca di Papa and 24 in zone 3. Expected ground acceleration in the built-up area is about 0.167 g. In the old village, where houses often lean on one another, structural work also affects the neighbours: ask what has been done and with which permits.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes the cadastral maps, and the report reaches the plot from the address. On the volcano's steep slopes, gradient and landslide hazard change from one street to the next and should be checked for the exact spot.

Key points

  • Tiered village on Monte Cavo, above the lakes of Albano and Nemi.
  • Population up 13.3% since 2011; average age 43.9.
  • No station: reach Rome by car or by train from nearby towns.
  • Seismic zone 2, expected acceleration about 0.167 g.

Overview

Rocca di Papa is a municipality in the province of Roma, in Lazio. At the end of 2023 it had 17,648 residents, ranked 29 of 121 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Rocca di Papa is in seismic zone 2, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible. The region uses a finer breakdown: here the classification is 2B. Most municipalities in the province (97 of 121) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.167 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Rocca di Papa, 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 resident population has grown by 13.3%. The estimated average age is 44 years, lower than the province average (46). 19% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 23%). Foreign residents make up 13.3% of the population. On average, a household has 2.5 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Rocca di Papa declared an average taxable income of 23,010 euros, below the provincial average (28,682 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Rocca di Papa is in climate zone E, with 2,399 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 680 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Rocca di Papa has 7 schools and 4 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 5 grocery shops and supermarkets, 5 healthcare facilities, 7 sports facilities and 7 parks and green areas.

There are 0.3 healthcare facilities per 1,000 residents, fewer than the province average (0.8).

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 8.2% of the land in Rocca di Papa, compared with 13.2% in the province and 8.2% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

According to the ISPRA map, the estimated radon emission in the municipality is very high. 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 Rocca di Papa.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Rocca di Papa: 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 Rocca di Papa 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 45 inhabited census areas in Rocca di Papa. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 68 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 0.1%
  • fair 32.7%
  • good 67.2%

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 058086. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.