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Siena: what to know before buying a home

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

Search for an address in Siena

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 Dante 7, Milan.

Siena, city of the Palio

Twice a year, on 2 July and 16 August, the contrade (the historic neighbourhood districts) of Siena race against each other in the Palio in Piazza del Campo, and loyalty to one's contrada still shapes life in the UNESCO-listed historic centre. The city has an ancient university and is home to Monte dei Paschi, founded in the fifteenth century and regarded as the oldest bank still in operation.

Siena is a compact provincial capital whose population has hardly moved: 52,833 residents at the end of 2023, just 6 fewer than the 52,839 counted in the 2011 census. The municipality holds 20.3% of the province's population. The estimated average age is 48.3, against 47.6 for the province, and 28.2% of residents are over 65, above the Tuscan average of 26.5%. The average household has 2.01 people.

For a city of this size, services are plentiful. Overture Maps data record 48 schools and education sites, 0.91 per 1,000 residents compared with 0.90 across the province, 55 healthcare facilities (1.04 against 0.50) and 74 sports facilities. The Ministry of Health lists 19 pharmacies.

Earthquakes: Siena is in seismic zone 3, like 31 of the 35 municipalities in the province, while 4 are in zone 2. The expected ground acceleration in the built-up area is about 0.139 g, a moderate value, towards the top of the range typical for zone 3. For the masonry houses of the old town and for older buildings generally, documentation of structural work is still something to request.

The land registry poses no obstacle: the Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) maps cover Siena, and the report derives the sheet and parcel (foglio and particella) from the address. Between the hills of the centre and the surrounding countryside, landslide and flood hazard and local prices are only read at the address itself.

Key points

  • The Palio, the contrade and a UNESCO-listed historic centre.
  • Stable population: 52,833 residents, 6 fewer than in 2011.
  • Well served: 0.91 education sites per 1,000 residents.
  • Seismic zone 3; expected ground acceleration about 0.139 g.

Overview

Siena is the capital of the province of Siena, in Toscana. At the end of 2023 it had 52,833 residents, the most populous municipality in the province. 20% of the province's residents live here.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Siena is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. Most municipalities in the province (31 of 35) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.139 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.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood risk changes from one street to the next, even within the same municipality: for this reason we do not summarise it as a single figure for the whole of Siena.

The report checks the exact address against the ISPRA national maps and tells you in plain words whether the building falls within an at-risk area. The official map is also available on IdroGEO.

House prices

We do not publish price tables by municipality. The report gives the minimum and maximum price per square metre for the address's zone, from the Revenue Agency's OMI valuations, with the reference half-year. It is a range for the zone, not the value of a specific home.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the number of residents is nearly unchanged. The estimated average age is 48 years, in line with the province. 28% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 26%). Foreign residents make up 9.9% of the population. On average, a household has 2.0 members.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Siena has 48 schools and 19 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 38 grocery shops and supermarkets, 55 healthcare facilities, 74 sports facilities and 9 parks and green areas.

There are 1.0 healthcare facilities per 1,000 residents, more than the province average (0.5).

This data is gathered from several providers: services may be missing or closed businesses may still appear. The report counts services within 500 metres and 1 kilometre of the address.

Public transport

We do not yet have open public transport timetables for this municipality: the report says so explicitly, without inventing distances.

Land registry

The Revenue Agency publishes the cadastral maps for Siena: the report finds the building's parcel, that is its sheet and parcel number, starting from the address.

Data sources

ISTAT code 052032. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.