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Sestu: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Sestu

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 Cagliari 3, Sestu.

Sestu, on the Campidano plain at the gates of Cagliari

Sestu lies on the Campidano plain just north of Cagliari, along the SS131 road towards Oristano and Sassari. Until a few decades ago it was a farming village; today it is part of the city's commuter belt, with a large retail area along the main road and new neighbourhoods where families who work in Cagliari have settled.

People buying here are often after a detached house or a villa with more space than a flat in the city. The old village keeps its traditional Campidano courtyard houses, with a gateway on the street and an inner yard, often in need of renovation; newer estates have grown up around them. Public transport is mainly by bus, so for commuters the distance from the main road and rush-hour journey times into Cagliari matter.

The population is young and rising. Istat, the national statistics office, counts 20,792 residents in 2023, up 4.5% since 2011, with an average age of 44.2 against 48.1 for the province and over-65s at 17.1%. Foreign nationals make up 1.9%. Declared incomes are below the provincial average. There are 28 sports facilities, 1.35 per 1,000 residents, above average, and supermarkets are plentiful thanks to the retail area.

In Sardinia seismic hazard is low. All 70 municipalities in the province are in seismic zone 4 of the Civil Protection classification, and in Sestu the expected ground acceleration is about 0.050 g. In old houses built of sun-dried earth bricks, typical of the Campidano, the issues are rising damp and wall maintenance; in newer villas, check the systems and insulation with the summer heat in mind. The climate is mild.

On the plain, flood hazard along streams and channels varies from spot to spot and is checked for the address. The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes the cadastral maps.

Key points

  • Northern commuter belt of Cagliari, along the SS131.
  • Average age 44.2, over-65s at 17.1%.
  • 20,792 residents, up 4.5% since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 4 across the whole province.

Overview

Sestu is a municipality in the province of Cagliari, in Sardegna. At the end of 2023 it had 20,792 residents, among the most populous in the province (6 of 70).

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Sestu is in seismic zone 4, the lowest-risk zone, where strong earthquakes are very rare. All 70 municipalities in the province are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.050 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 grown by 4.5%. The estimated average age is 44 years, lower than the province average (48). 17% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 27%). Foreign residents make up 1.9% of the population. On average, a household has 2.1 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Sestu declared an average taxable income of 20,529 euros, below the provincial average (24,865 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Sestu is in climate zone C, with 987 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 15 November to 31 March, for up to 10 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 44 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Sestu has 12 schools and 6 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 17 grocery shops and supermarkets, 19 healthcare facilities, 28 sports facilities and 3 parks and green areas.

There are 0.6 schools per 1,000 residents, fewer than the province average (0.9).

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 11.9% of the land in Sestu, compared with 3.4% in the region. In 2024 built-up land grew by 7.5 hectares.

Radon and contaminated sites

Sestu is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Sardegna in 2022. Radon varies from building to building and can only be known by measuring it, especially on ground floors and in basements.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Sestu: 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 Sestu 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 76 inhabited census areas in Sestu. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 82 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 6.8%
  • good 36.9%
  • very good 56.3%

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 118053. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.