The Map of Micro-Homes: Milan vs the Rest of the Region
Official data, Italian Revenue Agency
In the Lombardy property landscape, the segment of small homes (up to 50 sqm) is a key litmus test for understanding the functional polarisation between the metropolitan capital and the provincial territories. The analysis of the official data on residential sales (Normalised Number of Transactions - NTN) for 2023–2025 highlights a deep imbalance in the distribution of micro-apartments.
In 2025, against a regional total of 16,540.85 sales in the band below 50 sqm (equal to 10.20% of the entire Lombardy market), the city of Milan alone absorbed 5,715.99 units, more than a third (34.56%) of the entire regional volume of this type.
Overall Data for the Three Years (2023 - 2025)
The overall trend of sizes below 50 sqm showed steady growth in Lombardy, from 15,462.29 NTN in 2023 to 15,675.92 NTN in 2024 (+1.38%), reaching 16,540.85 NTN in 2025 (+5.52% year on year and +6.98% over three years).
Comparison of the Key Areas (Year 2025)
| Area | Sales <50 sqm (2023) | Sales <50 sqm (2024) | Sales <50 sqm (2025) | Share of local total (2025) | Share of regional total <50 sqm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milan city | 5,242.68 | 5,267.12 | 5,715.99 | 22.71% | 34.56% |
| Milan Hinterland | 3,772.83 | 3,754.50 | 3,891.67 | 8.57% | 23.53% |
| Province of Milan (Total) | 9,015.51 | 9,021.62 | 9,607.66 | 13.61% | 58.08% |
| Rest of Lombardy (10 prov.) | 6,446.78 | 6,654.30 | 6,933.19 | 7.57% | 41.92% |
| Total Lombardy | 15,462.29 | 15,675.92 | 16,540.85 | 10.20% | 100.00% |
Source: official data, Italian Revenue Agency
The Anomaly of Milan City: Almost 1 Purchase in 4 below 50 sqm
In the municipality of Milan, the share of homes up to 50 sqm rose from 21.10% in 2023 (5,242.68 NTN out of 24,847.91) to 21.94% in 2024 (5,267.12 NTN out of 24,002.90), reaching 22.71% in 2025 (5,715.99 NTN out of 25,172.96).
This figure reflects the strong concentration in the city of demand linked to the university population, young professionals, temporary workers and the investment component geared to lettings.
The Hinterland and the Return to Residential Standards
As soon as you move outside the municipal boundaries of Milan, the size structure of demand changes radically:
- In the Milan Hinterland (the municipalities of the Metropolitan City outside the city), the share of micro-homes falls to 8.57% in 2025 (3,891.67 NTN out of 45,422.82).
- The Hinterland absorbs 23.53% of regional micro-homes, with a marked concentration in the large hubs served by metro or rail lines (such as Sesto San Giovanni with 263.04 NTN and Cinisello Balsamo with 158.67 NTN).
- Overall, the Metropolitan City of Milan (city + hinterland) absorbs 58.08% of all micro-apartments sold in the region (9,607.66 NTN).
The Map of the Lombardy Provinces: From Tourism to the Plains
Outside the Milan area, the Lombardy provinces show a generally limited share of micro-homes, with the single significant exception of the mountain and tourist context of Valtellina.
Share of Sizes <50 sqm in the Provincial Total (Year 2025)
- Province of Sondrio: 18.58% of the provincial total (503.28 NTN out of 2,709.43). The only province comparable to Milan in percentage terms, driven by sales of studios and small one-bedroom flats for tourist use in the mountain resorts (Aprica, Bormio, Chiesa in Valmalenco).
- Province of Lecco: 9.07% (445.59 NTN out of 4,915.49).
- Province of Bergamo: 8.88% (1,592.97 NTN out of 17,935.93 — equal to 9.63% of the regional share).
- Province of Como: 7.71% (731.54 NTN out of 9,482.59).
- Province of Brescia: 7.60% (1,397.34 NTN out of 18,374.17 — equal to 8.45% of the regional share).
- Province of Varese: 7.08% (1,017.91 NTN out of 14,371.05).
- Province of Lodi: 6.93% (270.09 NTN out of 3,898.32).
- Province of Pavia: 6.68% (623.01 NTN out of 9,330.41).
- Province of Cremona: 3.92% (196.46 NTN out of 5,009.32).
- Province of Mantua: 2.78% (155.00 NTN out of 5,566.90).
In the agricultural and industrial provinces of the Lower Po Plain (Cremona and Mantua), micro-homes fall to entirely marginal shares (below 4%), where residential demand is geared almost exclusively to floor areas above 85 sqm.
Regional Summary Table of Micro-Homes (Year 2025)
| Province / Area | Sales <50 sqm (2025) | Total sales (2025) | Local share <50 sqm (%) | Share of regional total <50 sqm (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milan city | 5,715.99 | 25,172.96 | 22.71% | 34.56% |
| Milan Hinterland | 3,891.67 | 45,422.82 | 8.57% | 23.53% |
| Bergamo | 1,592.97 | 17,935.93 | 8.88% | 9.63% |
| Brescia | 1,397.34 | 18,374.17 | 7.60% | 8.45% |
| Varese | 1,017.91 | 14,371.05 | 7.08% | 6.15% |
| Como | 731.54 | 9,482.59 | 7.71% | 4.42% |
| Pavia | 623.01 | 9,330.41 | 6.68% | 3.77% |
| Sondrio | 503.28 | 2,709.43 | 18.58% | 3.04% |
| Lecco | 445.59 | 4,915.49 | 9.07% | 2.69% |
| Lodi | 270.09 | 3,898.32 | 6.93% | 1.63% |
| Cremona | 196.46 | 5,009.32 | 3.92% | 1.19% |
| Mantua | 155.00 | 5,566.90 | 2.78% | 0.94% |
| TOTAL LOMBARDY | 16,540.85 | 162,189.39 | 10.20% | 100.00% |
Source: official data, Italian Revenue Agency
Descriptive Observations on the Data
- Functional dualism: The data highlight the coexistence of two clearly distinct market models: on the one hand Milan city, where the scarcity of land and high values push more than a fifth of sales towards small floor areas; on the other the rest of the regional territory, where the primary residential home keeps mainly medium-large dimensions.
- The mountain "second home" effect: The Province of Sondrio is the only area outside the metropolitan area with a high share of micro-homes (18.58%), linked to the specific hospitality function of the alpine tourist resorts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
* In the official data of the Italian Revenue Agency, the municipalities of the province of Monza and Brianza are included in the province of Milan: the figures for the province of Milan and the Milan Hinterland therefore also include Monza and Brianza.
What is the share of homes below 50 sqm in Milan compared with Lombardy?
In 2025 homes up to 50 sqm represent 22.71% of sales in Milan city, compared with a Lombardy regional average of 10.20%.
How many of Lombardy's micro-homes are concentrated in the Province of Milan?
The Province of Milan (city + hinterland) absorbs 58.08% of all regional sales below 50 sqm (9,607.66 NTN out of 16,540.85).
Which Lombardy province has the lowest share of micro-apartments?
The Province of Mantua records the lowest share in the region, with just 2.78% of sales in the band below 50 sqm (155.00 NTN in 2025).
Related articles
- Milan is the capital of micro-apartments: over 5,700 sales below 50 sqm in 2025
- The 50–85 sqm one-bedroom flat covers 42.3% of sales in Milan: the queen floor area of the city
- The queen of property types in Lombardy: the 50–85 sqm size sweeps the 2025 property market
- Milan absorbs over a third of the small sizes of the whole of Lombardy