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Sarnico: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Sarnico

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 Vittorio Veneto 1, Sarnico.

Sarnico, where Lake Iseo becomes the river Oglio

Sarnico sits at the south-western tip of Lake Iseo, right where the water leaves the lake and becomes the river Oglio again. The river marks the border with the province of Brescia: on the other bank, joined by a bridge, is Paratico. The town is known for boatbuilding, with yards that have made motor boats for generations, and for its lakefront lined with Art Nouveau villas from the early twentieth century.

The lake comes at a price. Part of the market is second homes and flats with a view, sought by buyers from Milan and abroad; away from the shore, towards the hills, there are detached houses and blocks of flats lived in all year. Bergamo and Brescia are the main places of work and are reached by car. In period villas and houses in the centre, check roofs, floors and services, and look into any listed-building restrictions before planning work.

The population is 6,848 (2023), up 7.2% since 2011. The average age of 46.7 is higher than in the province of Bergamo (45.2), and foreign residents make up 12.1%. Declared incomes are above the provincial average.

In the province of Bergamo, all 243 municipalities are in seismic zone 3 of the national classification; in Sarnico the expected ground acceleration is about 0.132 g, a moderate to low value. For an old building, structural upkeep is the priority rather than seismic upgrading.

On the shore, lake levels and the small streams coming down from the hills are what count; on the slopes further inland, landslides. The report checks them for the specific address on the official maps.

Key points

  • Southern tip of Lake Iseo, where the Oglio flows out.
  • Population up 7.2% since 2011.
  • All 243 municipalities of Bergamo in seismic zone 3.
  • Boatyards, Art Nouveau villas and lakeside second homes.

Overview

Sarnico is a municipality in the province of Bergamo, in Lombardia. At the end of 2023 it had 6,848 residents, ranked 42 of 243 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Sarnico 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 0.132 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 grown by 7.2%. The estimated average age is 47 years, higher than the province average (45). 24% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 24%). Foreign residents make up 12.1% of the population. On average, a household has 2.1 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Sarnico declared an average taxable income of 30,438 euros, above the provincial average (26,939 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Sarnico is in climate zone E, with 2,369 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 197 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Sarnico has 9 schools and 2 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 3 grocery shops and supermarkets, 5 healthcare facilities and 20 sports facilities.

There are 1.3 schools per 1,000 residents, more than the province average (0.9).

Public transport

The open timetables available for the area do not list any stops within the territory of Sarnico.

How built-up it is

Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 21.2% of the land in Sarnico, 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

Sarnico 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 Sarnico; one has been cleaned up or closed.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Sarnico: 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 Sarnico 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 42 inhabited census areas in Sarnico. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 67 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 17.0%
  • good 83.0%

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 016193. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.