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Scapoli: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Scapoli

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 Collalto 1, Scapoli.

Scapoli, the bagpipe village at the foot of the Mainarde

In Molise, the name Scapoli goes hand in hand with the zampogna, the Italian bagpipe: the village has a museum devoted to the instrument and an annual festival that draws players and craftsmen. It lies in the upper Volturno valley, at the foot of the Mainarde mountains, with its old centre perched at around six hundred metres and the mountains behind.

Everyday life is that of a small Apennine village. For the hospital, secondary schools and offices, the reference point is Isernia or the larger towns in the valley. The old centre is made up of stone houses built against each other along steep lanes; outside the historic core there are newer homes that are easier to reach by car.

The population stood at 584 in 2023, 23.0% lower than the 758 of 2011. The average age is 52.6, against 48.1 in the province of Isernia, and over-65s make up 33.0%. Foreign residents account for 6.8%. Average declared income sits below the provincial level.

Earthquakes are the first issue to consider. Scapoli is in seismic zone 1, the most hazardous class, like 31 other municipalities in the province, and the expected ground acceleration in the built-up area is about 0.271 g. With a stone house in the old centre, you need to know whether strengthening work has been done, with what designs and inspections: a check for an engineer before you make an offer.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes the cadastral maps, and the report links the address to its land parcel. On the slopes, gradient and landslide hazard vary from house to house and are read on the official maps for the exact spot.

Key points

  • Bagpipe village in the upper Volturno valley.
  • Seismic zone 1, expected acceleration about 0.271 g.
  • 584 residents in 2023, down 23.0% since 2011.
  • Stone old centre: have an engineer check any strengthening work.

Overview

Scapoli is a municipality in the province of Isernia, in Molise. At the end of 2023 it had 584 residents, ranked 35 of 52 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Scapoli is in seismic zone 1, the highest-risk zone, where very strong earthquakes are possible. Most municipalities in the province (32 of 52) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.271 g, a high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Scapoli, 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 23.0%. The estimated average age is 53 years, higher than the province average (48). 33% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 27%). Foreign residents make up 6.8% of the population. On average, a household has 1.9 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Scapoli declared an average taxable income of 16,313 euros, below the provincial average (20,102 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Scapoli is in climate zone E, with 2,171 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 611 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Scapoli has 1 pharmacy.

The data shows no schools within the municipality, against a provincial average of 1.5 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 2.6% of the land in Scapoli, compared with 3.4% in the province and 4.0% 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 contaminated sites in Scapoli.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Scapoli: 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 Scapoli 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 27 inhabited census areas in Scapoli. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 60 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 100.0%

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 094048. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.