San Giovanni Bianco: what to know before buying a home
A municipality in the province of Bergamo, Lombardia. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.
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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 Cornalita 1, San Giovanni Bianco.
San Giovanni Bianco, on the Brembo where the Taleggio valley opens
San Giovanni Bianco sits halfway up the Brembana valley, on the river Brembo, at the point where the Taleggio valley branches off. The town has grown along the valley floor and the main road, while its hamlets are scattered on the slopes. In one of them, Oneta, stands the house that local tradition links to Harlequin. The valley cycle path, laid on the route of the old railway, runs right through here.
For anyone working in Bergamo, the drive down the valley takes time, especially at rush hour between Zogno and Villa d'Almè. In return, house prices are much lower than in the city or lower down the valley. You will find flats in town, multi-storey family houses and mountain cottages or rural houses on the slopes, often needing work and with steep access.
In 2023 there were 4,578 residents, 493 fewer than in 2011 (down 9.7%). The average age is 47.9, against 45.2 for the province of Bergamo, and over-65s make up 26.5% against 22.5% for the province. There are few foreign residents, 1.7%.
All 243 municipalities in the province of Bergamo are in seismic zone 3 of the Civil Protection classification, and in San Giovanni Bianco the expected ground acceleration is low, about 0.074 g. In a narrow Alpine valley, other risks matter more. The Brembo and its side streams can burst their banks in flood, and the steep slopes are prone to landslides and rockfall. Before buying, check the official maps for the address in the report and, in winter, see how many hours of sun the house gets.
Key points
- Halfway up the Brembana valley, at the mouth of the Taleggio valley.
- Over-65s at 26.5%, down 9.7% since 2011.
- Seismic zone 3, expected acceleration about 0.074 g.
- Brembo floods and slope landslides worth checking.
Overview
San Giovanni Bianco is a municipality in the province of Bergamo, in Lombardia. At the end of 2023 it had 4,578 residents, ranked 84 of 243 municipalities in the province.
Earthquakes
For Italy's Civil Protection Department, San Giovanni Bianco is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. All 243 municipalities in the province are in the same zone.
In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.074 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 9.7%. The estimated average age is 48 years, higher than the province average (45). 26% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 24%). Foreign residents make up 1.7% of the population. On average, a household has 2.2 members.
Income and climate
In tax year 2024, taxpayers in San Giovanni Bianco declared an average taxable income of 23,814 euros, below the provincial average (26,939 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.
San Giovanni Bianco is in climate zone E, with 2,698 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 448 metres above sea level.
Services
In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, San Giovanni Bianco has 4 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 2 grocery shops and supermarkets, 3 healthcare facilities and 3 sports facilities.
There are 0.2 pharmacies per 1,000 residents, fewer than the province average (0.3).
Public transport
The open timetables available for the area do not list any stops within the territory of San Giovanni Bianco.
How built-up it is
Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 4.3% of the land in San Giovanni Bianco, compared with 12.0% in the province and 12.2% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.
Radon and contaminated sites
San Giovanni Bianco is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Lombardia in 2023. According to the ISPRA map, the estimated radon emission in the municipality is medium. 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 open contaminated sites in San Giovanni Bianco; 2 have been cleaned up or closed.
Landslides and flooding
Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within San Giovanni Bianco: 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 San Giovanni Bianco 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 52 inhabited census areas in San Giovanni Bianco. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 65 or more.
Residents by band
- modest 0.4%
- fair 45.9%
- good 53.7%
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.
- Public transport timetables (GTFS): Trenord, Regione Lombardia - Trenord, orari ferroviari (GTFS). Licence CC BY 4.0, version 20261111.
- 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 Lombardia, national list compiled by ARPA Lombardia. Licence Atto pubblico (art. 5 L. 633/1941), 2023.
- Contaminated sites, Regione Lombardia. Licence CC0 1.0 (pubblico dominio), updated to 14 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 016188. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.