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San Polo d'Enza: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of Reggio nell'Emilia, Emilia-Romagna. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in San Polo d'Enza

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 Fratelli Cervi 1, San Polo d'Enza.

San Polo d'Enza, where the Enza valley meets the plain

San Polo d'Enza lies on the Reggio Emilia bank of the Enza, the river that marks the border with the province of Parma, right where the valley leaves the Apennines and opens onto the plain. To the south begin the hills associated with Matilda of Canossa, with the castles of Canossa and Quattro Castella; to the north, flat roads lead to Reggio Emilia. This is Parmigiano Reggiano country, with dairies and cattle sheds among the fields.

The town on the plain is compact, with villas and blocks of flats built from the 1960s onwards and a business area. The hill hamlets are different: scattered houses, small farms and farmhouses waiting to be restored. Choosing the hills brings views and quiet, but also steep roads and longer trips to shops and schools. Declared incomes are slightly below the provincial average.

The population has grown by 3.1% since 2011 and stood at 6,134 in 2023, according to Istat, the national statistics institute. The average age is 46.0, close to the province (45.3), with over-65s at 23.8% and foreign residents at 10.8%.

In the province of Reggio Emilia 8 municipalities are in seismic zone 2 and 34 are in zone 3. San Polo is one of the latter, with an expected ground acceleration of about 0.158 g, which is not negligible. For a stone farmhouse or a 1970s house, get an engineer's opinion before buying, especially if major work is planned.

Along the Enza the report checks flood hazard, and on the first hills landslide hazard, common in the clay soils of the Emilian Apennines. Both are read for the individual address. The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes the cadastral maps, and the report traces the plot.

Key points

  • Where the Enza valley opens out, on the Parma border.
  • 6,134 residents, up 3.1% since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 3, expected acceleration about 0.158 g.
  • River floods and hillside landslides to check per address.

Overview

San Polo d'Enza is a municipality in the province of Reggio nell'Emilia, in Emilia-Romagna. At the end of 2023 it had 6,134 residents, ranked 25 of 42 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, San Polo d'Enza is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. Most municipalities in the province (34 of 42) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.158 g, a medium-high 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 grown by 3.1%. The estimated average age is 46 years, in line with the province. 24% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 25%). Foreign residents make up 10.8% of the population. On average, a household has 2.2 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in San Polo d'Enza declared an average taxable income of 26,216 euros, in line with the province (27,273 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

San Polo d'Enza is in climate zone E, with 2,408 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 166 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, San Polo d'Enza has 4 schools and 2 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 6 grocery shops and supermarkets, 4 healthcare facilities and 6 sports facilities.

There are 1.0 grocery shops and supermarkets per 1,000 residents, more than the province average (0.6).

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 11.8% of the land in San Polo d'Enza, compared with 11.1% in the province and 9.0% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

San Polo d'Enza is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Emilia-Romagna in 2026. 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 San Polo d'Enza.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within San Polo d'Enza: 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 Polo d'Enza 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 67 inhabited census areas in San Polo d'Enza. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 60 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 10.1%
  • fair 75.0%
  • good 14.9%

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 035038. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.