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Rocca Grimalda: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Rocca Grimalda

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: Localita' San Carlo 326, Rocca Grimalda.

Rocca Grimalda, the village on a spur above the Orba

Rocca Grimalda is built on a rocky spur above the Orba valley in the Alto Monferrato, a short distance from Ovada. The old village, with its castle and narrow houses along the ridge, looks out over the vineyards and woods of the area, home of Dolcetto di Ovada wine. Lower down, towards the river and the valley roads, are the outlying hamlets and newer homes.

Ovada is the reference for services and shopping, and the A26 motorway towards Genoa and Alessandria is quickly reached from the Ovada area. Buyers have to choose between a house in the old village, with views but little room for a car, and a home in the countryside or a hamlet, easier to reach. The report measures the distance from the exact address to schools, pharmacies and shops.

Istat, the national statistics office, counted 1,401 residents in 2023, down 6.3% since 2011. The average age is 50.4, against 48.9 in the province, and over-65s make up 29.2%. Foreign residents account for 5.3%. Declared incomes are in line with the provincial average.

On earthquakes, Rocca Grimalda is in seismic zone 3, like 127 of the 187 municipalities in the province of Alessandria, with an expected ground acceleration of 0.075 g. In the old houses on the rock, often very old indeed, what counts is the condition of walls and roofs and any work already done.

Near the Orba and on the steep slopes below the village, the report checks the official flood and landslide maps for each address. Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps cover the municipality.

Key points

  • Village on a spur above the Orba, near Ovada.
  • Dolcetto di Ovada country, vineyards and woods.
  • Seismic zone 3, expected acceleration 0.075 g.
  • Over-65s at 29.2%, average age 50.4.

Overview

Rocca Grimalda is a municipality in the province of Alessandria, in Piemonte. At the end of 2023 it had 1,401 residents, ranked 43 of 187 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Rocca Grimalda is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. Most municipalities in the province (127 of 187) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.075 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 fallen by 6.3%. The estimated average age is 50 years, in line with the province. 29% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 27%). Foreign residents make up 5.3% of the population. On average, a household has 2.0 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Rocca Grimalda declared an average taxable income of 25,203 euros, in line with the province (25,143 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Rocca Grimalda is in climate zone E, with 2,620 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 280 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Rocca Grimalda has 2 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 1 green area.

The data shows no grocery shops and supermarkets within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.6 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 8.4% of the land in Rocca Grimalda, compared with 7.2% in the province and 6.7% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Rocca Grimalda is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Piemonte 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 Rocca Grimalda.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Rocca Grimalda: 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 Grimalda 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 38 inhabited census areas in Rocca Grimalda. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 57 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 6.3%
  • fair 88.7%
  • good 5.0%

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

ISTAT code 006147. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.