San Marco Argentano: what to know before buying a home
A municipality in the province of Cosenza, Calabria. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.
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Search for an address in San Marco Argentano
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: Contrada Maiolungo 1, San Marco Argentano.
San Marco Argentano, a Norman tower in the hills of Cosenza
The seat of the diocese of San Marco Argentano-Scalea, the town sits on a hill north of Cosenza at around 400 metres, its old centre gathered around the cathedral and the Norman tower known as the Drogonea, visible from far away. From the hill the land drops towards the valley farmland, planted with olives and cereals, where most of the newer buildings are.
Buyers face a choice between two types of home. The old centre has older buildings, often on several levels, with steep streets and difficult parking; the lower areas have newer houses that suit anyone commuting to Cosenza or to the University of Calabria at Arcavacata, in Rende. The report measures distances from the address to schools, pharmacies and shops, which vary a lot between the two parts.
There were 6,862 residents in 2023, down 5.8% on 2011. Average age (46.0) and the share of over-65s (23.8%) are in line with the province; foreign residents make up 3.8%. Average declared incomes are below the provincial average, which is itself low.
Earthquake risk is the first thing to weigh up. In the province of Cosenza, 65 of 150 municipalities are in seismic zone 1, the highest class in the national scale, and San Marco Argentano is one of them, with an expected ground acceleration of about 0.261 g. For any house, ask for the year of construction, the type of structure and any upgrading work done. For the old masonry buildings in the centre, a structural survey before completion costs little compared with what it can save you.
Landslides on the sides of the hill also need checking: the report does this for the specific address using the official hazard maps.
Key points
- Hill town north of Cosenza, with a Norman tower and cathedral.
- Seismic zone 1, expected acceleration 0.261 g.
- Population down 5.8% since 2011.
- Steep old centre, newer houses in the valley below.
Overview
San Marco Argentano is a municipality in the province of Cosenza, in Calabria. At the end of 2023 it had 6,862 residents, ranked 24 of 150 municipalities in the province.
Earthquakes
For Italy's Civil Protection Department, San Marco Argentano is in seismic zone 1, the highest-risk zone, where very strong earthquakes are possible. Only 65 of 150 municipalities in the province are in zone 1.
In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.261 g, a high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.
For anyone buying in San Marco Argentano, 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 5.8%. The estimated average age is 46 years, in line with the province. 24% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 24%). Foreign residents make up 3.8% of the population. On average, a household has 2.2 members.
Income and climate
In tax year 2024, taxpayers in San Marco Argentano declared an average taxable income of 15,796 euros, below the provincial average (18,237 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.
San Marco Argentano is in climate zone D, with 1,774 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 426 metres above sea level.
Services
In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, San Marco Argentano has 15 schools and 2 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 11 grocery shops and supermarkets, 2 healthcare facilities and 7 sports facilities.
There are 1.6 grocery shops and supermarkets per 1,000 residents, more 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 5.9% of the land in San Marco Argentano, compared with 4.4% in the province and 5.1% in the region. In 2024 built-up land grew by 1.1 hectares.
Radon and contaminated sites
According to the ISPRA map, the estimated radon emission in the municipality is low. 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 Marco Argentano; one has been cleaned up or closed.
Landslides and flooding
Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within San Marco Argentano: 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 Marco Argentano 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 78 inhabited census areas in San Marco Argentano. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 57 or more.
Residents by band
- modest 19.8%
- fair 80.2%
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.
- 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 078123. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.