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San Nicola Arcella: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in San Nicola Arcella

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 Atrigna 1, San Nicola Arcella.

San Nicola Arcella, the Arcomagno and the Cedar Riviera

On the Tyrrhenian coast of the province of Cosenza, in the northern stretch of the Calabrian coast known as the Riviera dei Cedri, San Nicola Arcella stands on a headland above the sea. It is known for the Arcomagno, a natural rock arch enclosing a small beach, and for the coves along the cliffs. The village lives largely on summer tourism and holiday homes.

This shapes the market. Next to the small historic centre are holiday flats, villas and complexes built for summer use, many lived in for only a few months a year. Buyers need to tell apart houses designed for the summer, often with basic systems and little insulation, from those suited to year-round living. Sea views and the steepness of the access also change values a lot from one street to the next. The coastal state road links the village to Praia a Mare and the other coastal towns.

Here the population is growing: 1,974 in 2023 according to Istat, the national statistics institute, up 12.7% from 1,751 in 2011. The average age is 45.2, below 46.1 for the province, and foreign residents make up 7.1%.

For earthquakes, the municipality is in seismic zone 2 of the Civil Protection classification, with an expected acceleration of 0.154 g. With holiday buildings from past decades, check the structural design and planning compliance before completion.

For each address the report shows the official landslide and flood maps, useful on a coastline of cliffs and steep slopes. Revenue Agency cadastral maps are published.

Key points

  • Headland on the Tyrrhenian, Riviera dei Cedri.
  • Population up 12.7% since 2011.
  • Many holiday homes: check systems and insulation.
  • Seismic zone 2, expected acceleration 0.154 g.

Overview

San Nicola Arcella is a municipality in the province of Cosenza, in Calabria. At the end of 2023 it had 1,974 residents, ranked 73 of 150 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, San Nicola Arcella is in seismic zone 2, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible. Most municipalities in the province (85 of 150) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.154 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in San Nicola Arcella, 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 12.7%. The estimated average age is 45 years, in line with the province. 20% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 24%). Foreign residents make up 7.1% of the population. On average, a household has 1.9 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in San Nicola Arcella declared an average taxable income of 16,626 euros, below the provincial average (18,237 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

San Nicola Arcella is in climate zone C, with 1,045 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 15 November to 31 March, for up to 10 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 110 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, San Nicola Arcella has 4 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 2 grocery shops and supermarkets, 5 sports facilities and 2 parks and green areas.

The data shows no healthcare facilities 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 14.2% of the land in San Nicola Arcella, compared with 4.4% in the province and 5.1% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Official databases list no contaminated sites in San Nicola Arcella.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within San Nicola Arcella: 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 Nicola Arcella 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 29 inhabited census areas in San Nicola Arcella. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 59 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 2.8%
  • fair 85.1%
  • good 12.2%

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 078125. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.