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Scala Coeli: 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 Scala Coeli

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 Provinciale 1, Scala Coeli.

Scala Coeli, hills inland from Cosenza's Ionian coast

Scala Coeli is a village inland from the Ionian coast in the province of Cosenza, on a rise at around 370 metres among the hills that climb from the sea towards the Sila plateau. The landscape is olive groves, fields, scrub and clay ground, and the coast, with the Ionian highway and the main services, is a drive downhill.

The population figures stand out. According to Istat, the national statistics office, there were 779 residents at the end of 2023, 362 fewer than the 1,141 of 2011, a fall of 31.7%. The average age is 53.2, against 46.1 in the province, over-65s are 38.0% against 24.4%, and households are small, 1.86 people on average. Declared incomes are well below the provincial average.

For buyers, this means a small market of village houses, often old and needing careful inspection: roof, floors, damp, systems and utility connections. It is also worth checking that the land registry records match the real state of the property. The climate is mild, climate zone D.

Scala Coeli is in seismic zone 2, like 85 of the 150 municipalities in the province of Cosenza, while 65 are in zone 1. The expected ground acceleration is about 0.198 g. For a masonry house a structural survey before purchase is useful, especially if the building has had no recent work.

On clay slopes, landslide hazard needs checking for the exact spot, and the report reads the official maps together with the flood maps. The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps are published and link the address to the land parcel.

Key points

  • Hill village inland from Cosenza's Ionian coast, towards the Sila.
  • 779 residents, down 31.7% since 2011.
  • Over-65s at 38.0%, against 24.4% in the province.
  • Seismic zone 2, expected acceleration about 0.198 g.

Overview

Scala Coeli is a municipality in the province of Cosenza, in Calabria. At the end of 2023 it had 779 residents, ranked 131 of 150 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Scala Coeli 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 0.198 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Scala Coeli, 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 31.7%. The estimated average age is 53 years, higher than the province average (46). 38% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 24%). Foreign residents make up 4.2% of the population. On average, a household has 1.9 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Scala Coeli declared an average taxable income of 13,429 euros, below the provincial average (18,237 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Scala Coeli is in climate zone D, with 1,537 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 370 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Scala Coeli has 3 schools and 2 pharmacies.

The data shows no grocery shops and supermarkets within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.8 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 1.6% of the land in Scala Coeli, 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

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 Scala Coeli; one has been cleaned up or closed.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Scala Coeli: 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 Scala Coeli 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 6 inhabited census areas in Scala Coeli. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 70 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 41.8%
  • good 58.2%

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 078137. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.