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Spello: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Spello

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 Acquatino 1, Spello.

Spello, a Roman hill town on Monte Subasio

Spello climbs the slopes of Monte Subasio, looking over the Umbrian valley between Assisi and Foligno. It is one of the best-preserved small towns in Umbria, with Roman walls and gates such as Porta Consolare and Porta Venere, alleys of pinkish stone and the Baglioni chapel in Santa Maria Maggiore, frescoed by Pinturicchio. At Corpus Domini, between May and June, the streets of the centre are covered with the flower carpets of the Infiorate.

Below the old town the municipality spreads down to the plain, with the newer areas and the hamlets in the valley, where houses are more practical and everyday services are found, along the road and railway between Foligno and Perugia. Spello has a station on this line, and Foligno, with trains to Rome, is a few minutes away. In the old centre houses are of stone, often on several levels, with steps and pedestrian-only access, and some are used as holiday homes or tourist lets.

There are 8,270 residents (2023), 4.2% fewer than in 2011. The population is older than the average for the province of Perugia: an estimated average age of 48.9 against 47.4, with over-65s at 28.8%. Foreign residents account for 5.5%.

The Umbrian valley is an active seismic area. Spello is in zone 2, with an expected ground acceleration of about 0.229 g, a high value; in the province 14 municipalities are in zone 1, the highest class. In the masonry houses of the old town it is essential to know what strengthening has been done and under which permits, and to have a surveyor assess the structure before signing.

Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) cadastral maps are published and the report finds the plot from the address. Between the slopes of Subasio and the valley floor, landslides and flooding are checked on the official maps for the exact spot.

Key points

  • Roman hill town on Subasio, with a station on the Foligno to Perugia line.
  • Population down 4.2% since 2011; over-65s at 28.8%.
  • Seismic zone 2 with high expected acceleration, about 0.229 g.
  • Old stone houses: check strengthening work and permits.

Overview

Spello is a municipality in the province of Perugia, in Umbria. At the end of 2023 it had 8,270 residents, ranked 17 of 59 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Spello is in seismic zone 2, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible. Most municipalities in the province (44 of 59) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.229 g, a medium-high value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Spello, 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 4.2%. The estimated average age is 49 years, higher than the province average (47). 29% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 27%). Foreign residents make up 5.5% of the population. On average, a household has 2.3 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Spello declared an average taxable income of 23,409 euros, in line with the province (23,962 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Spello is in climate zone D, with 2,075 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 280 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Spello has 5 schools and 2 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 11 grocery shops and supermarkets, 4 healthcare facilities, 7 sports facilities and 2 parks and green areas.

There are 0.6 schools per 1,000 residents, fewer than the province average (1.0).

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 9.5% of the land in Spello, compared with 5.5% in the province and 5.3% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Official databases list no open contaminated sites in Spello; one has been cleaned up or closed.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Spello: 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 Spello 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 78 inhabited census areas in Spello. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 62 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 2.4%
  • fair 61.3%
  • good 30.2%
  • very good 6.1%

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 054050. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.