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Varallo: 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 Varallo

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 Brigate Garibaldi 1, Varallo.

Varallo, the Sacro Monte and the heart of Valsesia

On the crag above the town stands the Sacro Monte, a complex of chapels filled with statues and frescoes begun at the end of the fifteenth century and now part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Sacred Mountains of Piedmont and Lombardy. Varallo, below, is the main town of the Valsesia, where the Mastallone stream joins the river Sesia, at around 450 metres.

For newcomers, Varallo offers the shops, schools and offices of a small valley town, surrounded by a large area of scattered hamlets, some at altitude. The centre is mostly stone houses and period buildings; the hamlets have mountain houses, many of them second homes for families from Novara, Milan or the plain. Winters are long (climate zone E), so heating, insulation and the state of the roof affect costs more than the purchase price does.

The population is shrinking and ageing. There were 6,856 residents in 2023, 9.1% fewer than in 2011; the average age is 50.2 and over-65s make up 31.5%, against 28.0% in the province of Vercelli. Foreign residents account for 6.7%.

Earthquakes are a secondary concern. In the province of Vercelli, 81 of 82 municipalities are in seismic zone 4, the lowest in the national classification, and Varallo is one of them, with an expected ground acceleration of about 0.049 g.

Rivers and slopes matter more. The Sesia and the Mastallone can rise sharply within hours after heavy rain, and the steep valley sides are exposed to landslides and debris flows. Before buying, especially near a stream or below a slope, look at the official hazard maps that the report checks for the address.

Key points

  • Main town of the Valsesia, where the Mastallone meets the Sesia.
  • The Sacro Monte, a UNESCO site, above the town.
  • Population down 9.1%; over-65s at 31.5%.
  • Seismic zone 4; streams and slopes to check.

Overview

Varallo is a municipality in the province of Vercelli, in Piemonte. At the end of 2023 it had 6,856 residents, among the most populous in the province (6 of 82).

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Varallo 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 0.049 g, a low 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 9.1%. The estimated average age is 50 years, higher than the province average (48). 32% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 27%). Foreign residents make up 6.7% of the population. On average, a household has 2.0 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Varallo declared an average taxable income of 25,038 euros, in line with the province (24,991 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Varallo is in climate zone E, with 2,855 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 450 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Varallo has 11 schools and 3 pharmacies. The Overture Maps data also lists 8 grocery shops and supermarkets, 3 healthcare facilities, 3 sports facilities and 4 parks and green areas.

There are 0.4 healthcare facilities per 1,000 residents, fewer than the province average (0.7).

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 3.2% of the land in Varallo, compared with 5.0% in the province and 6.7% in the region. In 2024 built-up land grew by 1.2 hectares.

Radon and contaminated sites

Varallo 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 Varallo.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Varallo: 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 Varallo 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 93 inhabited census areas in Varallo. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 62 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 4.3%
  • fair 54.5%
  • good 41.3%

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 002156. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.