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Scopa: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Scopa

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 Monte Rosa 1, Scopa.

Scopa, a mountain village on the Sesia in Valsesia

Heading up the Valsesia towards Monte Rosa, Scopa is one of the villages along the river Sesia beyond Varallo, at about 600 metres, with its core near the river and hamlets on the slopes. This is proper mountain country: woods, stone houses with slate roofs or replaced ones, and climate zone F winters. For the hospital, secondary schools and offices, the reference is Varallo, further down the valley.

The river is the first thing to look at. Along the Sesia and its side streams the official maps mark the areas exposed to flooding, while below the slopes landslides and falling rocks matter: the report reads both at the exact address. If you are thinking of a summer second home, also weigh up the cost of keeping it heated and maintained through the winter.

According to Istat, the national statistics office, 372 people lived in Scopa in 2023, 4.9% fewer than in 2011. Over-65s make up 32.5% against 28.0% for the province of Vercelli, and the estimated average age is 50.7. Declared incomes are in line with the provincial average.

On earthquakes the picture is calm: seismic zone 4 on the Civil Protection Department's scale, like 80 other municipalities in the province, and expected ground acceleration of about 0.053 g. In stone houses, roof upkeep and damp walls matter more than the seismic class.

Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps cover the municipality, and the report traces the address back to the land parcel.

Key points

  • Valsesia village on the river Sesia, above Varallo.
  • 372 residents in 2023, down 4.9% since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 4, expected acceleration about 0.053 g.
  • Near the river and below the slopes: official maps by address.

Overview

Scopa is a municipality in the province of Vercelli, in Piemonte. At the end of 2023 it had 372 residents, ranked 52 of 82 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Scopa is in seismic zone 4, the lowest-risk zone, where strong earthquakes are very rare. Most municipalities in the province (81 of 82) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.053 g, a moderate value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

In zone 4 the risk is low, but for an older building it is still worth asking about the state of the structure.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has fallen by 4.9%. The estimated average age is 51 years, higher than the province average (48). 33% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 27%). Foreign residents make up 5.6% of the population. On average, a household has 1.9 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Scopa declared an average taxable income of 24,754 euros, in line with the province (24,991 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Scopa is in climate zone F, with 3,113 heating degree days, with no limits on when heating may be used. The same table puts the town hall at 622 metres above sea level.

Services

In the Overture Maps data, Scopa has 1 grocery shop.

The data shows no schools within the municipality, against a provincial average of 1.1 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 1.3% of the land in Scopa, compared with 5.0% in the province and 6.7% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Scopa is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Piemonte in 2023. 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 Scopa.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Scopa: 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 Scopa 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 15 inhabited census areas in Scopa. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 54 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 7.5%
  • fair 92.5%

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 002134. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.