In Italy you save, but not everywhere in the same way. There are those who live in areas where bank deposits on average exceed 30 thousand euros per inhabitant and those who, however, reside in regions where the figure is just over 12 thousand euros. A distance that speaks of the country’s profound economic differences, but also of a less obvious evolution than it might seem: in the last five years, in fact, it has been precisely the traditionally most disadvantaged areas that have recorded the greatest percentage growth in sums deposited in banks.
According to an elaboration by Isnec and Withub on Bank of Italy datapublished by Corriere della Sera and referring to May 2026, the bank deposits of Italian families reach a national average of 19,812 euros per inhabitantwith an increase of 4.3% compared to 2021. A value which, taken in isolation, suggests a substantial stability of liquidity, but which hides a profoundly uneven territorial distribution, with differences that become particularly evident when comparing the northern regions with the South and the Islands.
However, a fundamental element must be clarified: the 19,812 euros do not represent the sum actually owned by every Italian, nor the average balance of individual current accounts. This is a per capita value calculated by comparing deposits to the resident population, which does not allow us to know how much money the typical family actually has available and does not take into account how the liquidity is distributed among the various savers.
North and South, almost 10 thousand euros difference on bank deposits
The first major fracture emerges by observing the four macro-areas of the country. In Northern Italy bank deposits reach an average of 22,702 euros per inhabitantwhile in the Center the value stands at 20,502 euros. The figure drops to 16,443 euros in the South and is further reduced in the Islands, where the average availability is just 13,049 euros.
Between the North and the Islands the difference therefore reaches 9,653 euros per inhabitant, a gap that reflects the economic inequalities that continue to characterize the Italian territory. Various factors affect the ability of families to set aside resources, from salary levels to employment stability, from the composition of family units to the cost of living, up to the different economic opportunities and the ways in which assets are managed.
The data on deposits, however, must be interpreted with caution. A greater amount of money kept in the bank does not necessarily correspond to higher overall wealth, because it does not include financial investments, real estate and other forms of assets. Likewise, an area characterized by relatively small deposits could have a greater propensity to invest liquidity in productive activities or other instruments, rather than keeping it in bank accounts.
The ranking of the regions: Trentino-Alto Adige first, Sicily last
The regional ranking makes the distance between the different Italian areas even more evident. In first place is the Trentino-Alto Adige, with 27,737 euros of average deposits per inhabitanta figure significantly higher than the national average. This is followed by Lombardy, with 23,809 euros, and Valle d’Aosta, with 23,476 euros, confirming the concentration of the greatest bank availability in the northern regions.
At the other end of the scale is the Sicily, with 12,444 euros per capitaless than half the value recorded in Trentino-Alto Adige. Calabria is located just above, where average deposits reach 14,202 euros per inhabitant.
There is therefore a distance of 15,293 euros per resident between the region at the top of the ranking and the one that occupies the last position, a difference that makes it immediately perceptible how much bank availability can change depending on the geographical area taken into consideration.
The primacy of Trentino-Alto Adige is not surprising if we consider the weight of an economy characterized by a complex productive fabric and relatively high income levels, while the position of Lombardy also reflects the concentration of economic and financial activities that characterizes the region. It does not mean, of course, that all residents have similar sums, but that the relationship between deposits and population is more favorable than in other Italian situations.
The provinces with the most money in the bank: Bolzano beats Milan
Going down to provincial detail, the ranking reserves some surprises. It is not Milan, the main financial center of the country, that occupies the first position, but rather Bolzano, where deposits reach an average of 30,804 euros per inhabitant.
The Lombardy capital stops in second place, with 28,013 euros, followed by Piacenza, which reaches 27,154 euros. Immediately after are Sondrio, with 26,135 euros, and Trento, with 25,414 euros, while Lecco occupies sixth position with 25,347 euros. A very short distance away is Belluno, where the average is 25,338 euros per resident, just nine euros less than the province of Lombardy.
The presence of relatively small-sized centers at the top of the ranking demonstrates how the greatest concentrations of deposits do not necessarily coincide with large metropolises. Isernia also appears in the group of the top ten provinces, a significant exception compared to the prevalence of the northern territories.
Another interesting element concerns Milan, which despite maintaining one of the highest bank availability in Italy shows a substantially stable trend compared to 2021. The situation of Piacenza and Lecco is different, which also stand out for the growth in deposits recorded in the last five years.
The surprise comes from the South: savings are growing faster
If the ranking of deposits continues to reward the North, the analysis of the evolution compared to 2021 returns a different picture. In fact, it is the areas that started from the lowest levels that recorded the most significant percentage increases, with a dynamic that could represent a first sign of reduction of territorial distances.
In Islands deposits per capita have increased by 11.1% in five yearswhile in the South the growth was 9.4%. In the Center the increase stopped at 5%, compared to just 1.3% in the North, where the sums deposited were already higher on average.
This is a significant trend, because it highlights how the growth of liquidity is not necessarily concentrated in the economically strongest territories. The South, while continuing to present significantly lower values than the rest of the country, therefore shows a more sustained percentage progression, even if insufficient to fill the gap accumulated over the years.
It should also be considered that the changes reported are nominal and do not automatically represent an equivalent increase in purchasing power. The inflation recorded in the last five years has in fact changed the real value of money, making it necessary to distinguish between the increase in the sums present in the accounts and their actual capacity to support consumption and expenses.
More money in the account does not necessarily mean more wealth
One of the most interesting aspects of the analysis concerns the economic significance of the increase in deposits. The growth of the sums kept in the bank can derive from a greater ability to save, but also from a prudential choice of families, who prefer to keep liquidity available to face unexpected expenses and situations of uncertainty.
Therefore, a richer account does not always represent a sign of an improvement in economic conditions. In some cases the accumulation of money may be accompanied by a reduction in consumption or the decision to postpone important investments, while in others it may depend on the limited availability of alternatives considered sufficiently convenient or safe.
The issue becomes particularly relevant for the South, where the growth of deposits raises questions about the possibilities of transforming private savings into economic development.
As noted by Guido Rosignoli, vice-president of the Accountants’ and Accountants’ Welfare Fundin the analysis published by Corriere della Serathe increase in set aside resources can only produce lasting benefits if accompanied by investment opportunities, access to credit and conditions favorable to the growth of businesses and employment.
The presence of greater liquidity, alone, does not guarantee a strengthening of the local production system, especially in areas where structural difficulties linked to the labor market and investments remain.
The real Italian gap is not just how much you save, but how you use the money
The photograph of bank deposits in 2026 therefore tells of an Italy that continues to present profound differences, but in which dynamics of change also emerge. The North maintains a significant advantage in the average sums deposited, while the South and the Islands catch up in percentage terms, but are still unable to approach the levels of the richer regions.
The growth of savings in the most economically fragile areas represents an element to observe, but it is not enough to talk about an effective rebalancing of national wealth. Bank availability is only a part of families’ assets and does not, on its own, allow us to measure their overall well-being.
The central point, therefore, does not only concern how much money Italians manage to keep in their current accounts, but also the possibility of using those resources to invest, support consumption, create economic activities and build greater financial security. And it is precisely on this ground that the distance between the different areas of the country continues to represent one of the main Italian economic issues.
