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Roccafiorita: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Roccafiorita

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 Francesco Bonanno 1, Roccafiorita.

Roccafiorita, a hill village above the Ionian coast near Messina

Between Messina and Taormina, in north-eastern Sicily, the Ionian coast is a string of seaside towns, and behind them hills and mountains rise with small villages perched on top. Roccafiorita is one of them, at around 700 metres, with its houses grouped on high ground. For secondary schools, the hospital and work people go down to the coast or towards Messina.

The figures are those of a village that has shrunk a great deal. In 2023 Istat, Italy's national statistics office, counted 178 residents, 50 fewer than the 228 of 2011, a fall of 21.9%. The estimated average age is 49.1, against 46.7 in the province of Messina, over-65s make up 27.5% and households average 1.71 people. Foreign residents account for just 1.1%.

Houses are masonry village homes, often on two or three levels along sloping streets with narrow access. Climate zone D means mild winters, but in the hills winter damp is noticeable, so check walls, roof and window frames. Many homes were built or extended at different times, so it is worth checking that they match the floor plans held at the land registry.

Earthquakes need to be taken seriously. Roccafiorita is in seismic zone 2 under the Civil Protection classification, like 91 of the 108 municipalities in the province, while another 17 are in zone 1; expected ground acceleration is about 0.216 g. With a masonry building, ask whether seismic improvement work has been done and what paperwork exists.

Steep slopes and streams running down to the sea need checking on the spot: the report reads the official landslide and flood maps for the address and finds the land parcel on the Revenue Agency's cadastral maps.

Key points

  • Hill village at about 700 metres, behind the Ionian coast.
  • 178 residents in 2023, down 21.9% since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 2, expected acceleration about 0.216 g.
  • Masonry houses on several levels: check the land registry plans.

Overview

Roccafiorita is a municipality in the province of Messina, in Sicilia. At the end of 2023 it had 178 residents, among the smallest in the province (108 of 108).

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Roccafiorita is in seismic zone 2, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible. Most municipalities in the province (91 of 108) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.216 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Roccafiorita, 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 fallen by 21.9%. The estimated average age is 49 years, higher than the province average (47). 28% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 23%). Foreign residents make up 1.1% of the population. On average, a household has 1.7 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Roccafiorita declared an average taxable income of 18,895 euros, below the provincial average (20,687 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Roccafiorita is in climate zone D, with 1,863 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 1 November to 15 April, for up to 12 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 723 metres above sea level.

Services

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

The data shows no schools within the municipality, against a provincial average of 1.3 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 9.8% of the land in Roccafiorita, compared with 6.0% in the province and 6.6% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Official databases list no contaminated sites in Roccafiorita.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Roccafiorita: 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 Roccafiorita 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 inhabited census areas in Roccafiorita. 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

ISTAT code 083071. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.