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Varano de' Melegari: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of Parma, Emilia-Romagna. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Varano de' Melegari

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 Martiri della Liberta' 1, Varano de' Melegari.

Varano de' Melegari, a castle and racing cars in the Val Ceno

Varano de' Melegari lies in the middle Val Ceno, on the first hills of the Apennines in the province of Parma, at around 190 metres. A medieval castle rises above the village, one of many in the Parma area, while Varano's name is known in motor racing for its circuit and for Dallara, the company that designs and builds racing cars and has its headquarters here.

Having a firm like this gives the village a different profile from many hill towns: there is skilled work locally and demand for housing from engineers and staff. Parma can be reached by car along the valley, and Fornovo di Taro, with its railway and the Cisa motorway, is a short drive away. Buyers find villas, detached houses with gardens and some rural houses in the hills, as well as the small historic core.

The population is 2,567 (2023 figure from Istat, the national statistics office), down 4.5% since 2011. Over-65s make up 23.6%, in line with the province (23.4%). Foreign residents account for 7.7%. Average incomes are slightly below the provincial figure.

The municipality is in seismic zone 3, with an expected ground acceleration of 0.158 g: a moderate hazard, a little higher than on the Parma plain. For a hillside house or a rural building to restore, have the walls, floors and ties checked.

In the valley, the Ceno stream and its side streams matter; on the slopes, the gradient. For each address the report reads the official landslide and flood maps and measures distances to schools, pharmacies and shops.

Key points

  • Middle Val Ceno, Parma Apennine foothills.
  • Medieval castle, racing circuit and Dallara headquarters.
  • Seismic zone 3, expected acceleration 0.158 g.
  • 2,567 residents, over-65s at 23.6%.

Overview

Varano de' Melegari is a municipality in the province of Parma, in Emilia-Romagna. At the end of 2023 it had 2,567 residents, ranked 28 of 44 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Varano de' Melegari is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. Most municipalities in the province (37 of 44) are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.158 g, a medium-high 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.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has fallen by 4.5%. The estimated average age is 47 years, in line with the province. 24% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 25%). Foreign residents make up 7.7% of the population. On average, a household has 2.2 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Varano de' Melegari declared an average taxable income of 27,848 euros, in line with the province (28,491 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Varano de' Melegari is in climate zone E, with 2,700 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 190 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Varano de' Melegari has 3 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 2 grocery shops and supermarkets and 2 sports facilities.

The data shows no healthcare facilities within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.6 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 6.3% of the land in Varano de' Melegari, compared with 7.6% in the province and 9.0% in the region. In 2024 built-up land grew by 1.4 hectares.

Radon and contaminated sites

Varano de' Melegari is not among the radon priority areas designated by the Regione Emilia-Romagna in 2026. 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 Varano de' Melegari.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Varano de' Melegari: 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 Varano de' Melegari 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 41 inhabited census areas in Varano de' Melegari. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 62 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 51.9%
  • good 48.1%

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 034045. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.