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Villanova sull'Arda: what to know before buying a home

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

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Villanova sull'Arda

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 Roma 1, Villanova sull'Arda.

Villanova sull'Arda, the lower Piacenza plain and Verdi's villa

Villanova sull'Arda is a municipality on the lower plain of Piacenza province, between the Arda stream and the Po, on the border with the province of Parma. Within it, in the hamlet of Sant'Agata, is the villa where Giuseppe Verdi lived and worked. Otherwise it is a farming area of fields, tree rows and farmsteads, with Piacenza and Cremona as the nearest cities.

House hunters find villas, detached houses and old farmhouses, often with plenty of land. Rural houses are appealing but need care: roofs, walls, rising damp and the permitted use of old barns. A car is essential for work and services.

There are 1,655 residents (2023), 14.5% fewer than in 2011 according to Istat, the national statistics office. The average age is 49.2, against 46.7 for the province, and over-65s make up 28.7%. Foreign residents are 12.6%.

All 46 municipalities in the province of Piacenza are in seismic zone 3; in Villanova the expected ground acceleration in the built-up area is 0.100 g. In older masonry houses, ask about work on the roof and floors; on the plain, fog and cold winters (climate zone E) also make insulation and heating important.

The Revenue Agency publishes the cadastral maps. The report finds the land parcel from the address and checks the official flood maps, which between the Arda and the Po should be read carefully for each plot.

Key points

  • Lower Piacenza plain between the Arda and the Po.
  • Giuseppe Verdi's villa is at Sant'Agata.
  • All 46 municipalities in the province in seismic zone 3.
  • Between the Arda and the Po: check flooding plot by plot.

Overview

Villanova sull'Arda is a municipality in the province of Piacenza, in Emilia-Romagna. At the end of 2023 it had 1,655 residents, ranked 35 of 46 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Villanova sull'Arda is in seismic zone 3, a zone where strong earthquakes are possible but rare. All 46 municipalities in the province are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.100 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.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has fallen by 14.5%. The estimated average age is 49 years, higher than the province average (47). 29% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 25%). Foreign residents make up 12.6% of the population. On average, a household has 2.2 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Villanova sull'Arda declared an average taxable income of 25,500 euros, below the provincial average (26,934 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Villanova sull'Arda is in climate zone E, with 2,385 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 42 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Villanova sull'Arda has 3 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 1 grocery shop, 1 healthcare facility and 1 sports facility.

There are 1.8 schools per 1,000 residents, more than the province average (0.8).

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 8.6% of the land in Villanova sull'Arda, compared with 7.7% in the province and 9.0% in the region. In 2024 built-up land stayed almost the same.

Radon and contaminated sites

Villanova sull'Arda 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 Villanova sull'Arda.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Villanova sull'Arda: 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 Villanova sull'Arda 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 38 inhabited census areas in Villanova sull'Arda. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 56 or more.

Residents by band

  • modest 1.1%
  • fair 98.9%

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 033046. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.