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Villafrati: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Villafrati

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: Corso San Marco 1, Villafrati.

Villafrati, inland Palermo on the road into Sicily

Villafrati lies inland in the province of Palermo, south-east of the city, on the main road leading from Palermo towards the centre of Sicily. The village sits on a hill at around 450 metres, surrounded by wheat fields, olive groves and pasture, and the city is close enough for a daily commute by car.

Most homes are independent masonry houses in the centre, with newer buildings on the edges. When assessing a purchase, look at the condition of the roof and floors and at how well the heating works: the climate zone is C, but winters in the hills are cooler than on the coast.

In 2023 there were 3,104 residents, down 8.1% on 2011. The average age is 46.2, above the province (44.7); over-65s are 26.1% and foreign residents 1.7%. Declared incomes remain below the provincial average.

The municipality is in seismic zone 2, like 80 other municipalities in the province, with expected ground acceleration in the built-up area of 0.141 g. For older masonry houses, have a surveyor assess the ties between walls and floors.

The report starts from the Revenue Agency's cadastral maps to find the plot, checks landslide and flood hazard on the official maps and measures distances to schools, pharmacies and supermarkets, which matter a lot when you live in a small town.

Key points

  • Inland, south-east of Palermo, around 450 m
  • 3,104 residents, down 8.1% since 2011
  • Seismic zone 2, expected acceleration 0.141 g
  • Masonry houses: roofs, floors and heating

Overview

Villafrati is a municipality in the province of Palermo, in Sicilia. At the end of 2023 it had 3,104 residents, ranked 46 of 82 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Villafrati is in seismic zone 2, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible. 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 0.141 g, a moderate value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

For anyone buying in Villafrati, 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 8.1%. The estimated average age is 46 years, in line with the province. 26% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 23%). Foreign residents make up 1.7% of the population. On average, a household has 2.3 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Villafrati declared an average taxable income of 17,893 euros, below the provincial average (21,337 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Villafrati is in climate zone C, with 1,395 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 450 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Villafrati has 3 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 3 grocery shops and supermarkets, 3 healthcare facilities and 1 sports facility.

There are 1.0 grocery shops and supermarkets per 1,000 residents, more than the province average (0.6).

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 5.9% of the land in Villafrati, compared with 5.7% in the province and 6.6% in the region. In 2024 built-up land grew by 1.5 hectares.

Radon and contaminated sites

According to the ISPRA map, the estimated radon emission in the municipality is low. 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 open contaminated sites in Villafrati; 3 have been cleaned up or closed.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Villafrati: 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 Villafrati 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 21 inhabited census areas in Villafrati. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 77 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 7.9%
  • good 76.9%
  • very good 15.1%

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 082080. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.