Housing
City Buzz or Nature’s Tranquility?
Here, you have plenty of choices, and distances are short. Whether you prefer living in the heart of the city, on its outskirts, or surrounded by nature in the peaceful countryside, Pohjois-Savo makes it possible. Many Finns dream of having their own space and a detached house by the water while still being close to the services that cities offer.
The region provides safe and welcoming residential areas and community spaces. Everywhere you go, nature, lakes, and islands are just a few steps away. Different housing options support various life stages: families with children may find country life more appealing, while retirement might bring a desire to enjoy the vibrancy of the city—or the other way around.
Municipalities and Cities in Pohjois-Savo
Kuopio is Finland’s eighth-largest city, with approximately 125,000 residents, and serves as the regional center of Pohjois-Savo. Due to municipal mergers, Kuopio has also become a significant rural municipality, with 93% of its land area classified as countryside. This provides diverse options for living, lifestyle, and leisure. The Tahko tourism center is also located in Kuopio.
Kuopio’s municipal mergers include: Riistavesi, Vehmersalmi, Karttula, Nilsiä (Tahko), Maaninka, and Juankoski.
Ylä-Savo Region: Municipalities Iisalmi, Lapinlahti, Kiuruvesi, Sonkajärvi, Vieremä, Pielavesi, Keitele
The central city of Ylä-Savo is Iisalmi, home to approximately 21,000 residents. The region is known for its strong entrepreneurial spirit, successful businesses, beautiful nature, and the relaxed Savonian way of life.
Savo Grow Region “The Wild West of Savo”: Municipalities Suonenjoki, Tervo, Rautalampi, Vesanto, Keitele, Pielavesi
On the western edge of Pohjois-Savo, about a 50 km drive from Kuopio, lies the Wild West of Savo. The six rural municipalities of Keitele, Pielavesi, Rautalampi, Suonenjoki, Tervo, and Vesanto form a region where there’s no unnecessary fuss—just a down-to-earth approach to building a good life with a twinkle in the eye.
-
Kuopio is the regional capital of North Savonia and Finland’s eighth-largest city, with 125,000 residents. It is known for its lively market square, events, beautiful lake landscapes, and the Savilahti campus, home to the University of Eastern Finland, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, and the Savo Vocational College (Sakky). The city combines modern urban life with closeness to nature. The Tahko tourism center is also located in Kuopio. In Kuopio, you can find stunning hiking and nature destinations, including the rugged landscapes of Puijo and Neulamäki.
Kuopio’s vision is to be the “Capital of Good Life.” This good life is characterized by health, regional vitality, and the richness of everyday living.
Municipal mergers and rural areas of Kuopio
Rural communities and villages – joyful living in the countrysideThe municipal mergers of Kuopio (in chronological order) are: Riistavesi, Vehmersalmi, Karttula, Nilsiä (Tahko), Maaninka, and Juankoski.
As a result of the mergers, Kuopio has become a significant rural municipality, with 93% of its land area located in rural areas. The rural areas are characterized by church villages, small towns, and villages, farmland landscapes, almost uninhabited forests, and a water-rich and hilly nature, offering excellent opportunities for leisure housing, hiking, fishing, berry picking, and hunting.
In the western countryside, in Karttula and Maaninka, there are strong village concentrations, where old and newer settlements blend. The Korkeakoski waterfall in Maaninka is a popular spot to visit. The Korkeakoski Gorge has a 35-hectare nature reserve.
In the southern countryside, new settlements have spread along the road network. On the eastern side of Lake Kallavesi, old settlements spread almost evenly and sparsely in many areas. The unique characteristics of Juankoski are its ironworks environment, and in Nilsiä, there is the Tahko resort.
-
Siilinjärvi is a growing neighboring municipality of Kuopio, offering good services and a wide range of recreational opportunities for its approximately 21,000 residents. It provides a safe and close-knit living environment at the heart of both nature and essential services. Siilinjärvi is committed to building a sustainable future, where the municipality and nature go hand in hand.
The municipality is located at a major transportation hub along Highway 5 and is home to Kuopio Airport and the Karelia Air Command. The area also features Siilinjärvi Golf Course and Kasurila Ski Resort, offering activities year-round.
-
Iisalmi is a city with about 21,000 residents and the central city of Upper Savonia. It is known for its successful international businesses, charming nature, and the cozy atmosphere of a small town where recreational opportunities and services are often just around the corner, and life is laid-back in the typical Savonian way.
Iisalmi’s vision is to be Finland’s most attractive regional town, where people thrive, the economy is vibrant, and nature and high-quality services make life wonderfully good.
Iisalmi’s slogan is: “We don’t wait for miracles. We make them.”
-
Lapinlahti is located in Upper Savonia, with the national road 5 and the Savonia railway running through the municipality and its church village. It is 24 km from Iisalmi and 60 km from Kuopio. The municipality has about 9,000 residents.
Lapinlahti is known as a sports and culture hub, with long-standing traditions in both. The locals actively participate in events, both as the audience and as performers, making the municipality vibrant and community-oriented.
-
Kiuruvesi is the capital of organic Finland and the heart of Finnish rural life, with about 7,800 residents. It is one of Finland’s largest milk and beef producers. Kiuruvesi is also known for its strong cultural heritage and events like the Iskelmä Week.
The Upper Savonia Vocational College offers popular equine industry programs in Kiuruvesi. -
Sonkajärvi is a municipality with around 3,600 residents in North Savonia. It is a traditional and lively rural municipality where history and humor go hand in hand. Sonkajärvi is famous for hosting the Wife Carrying World Championships.
-
Vieremä is a lively and entrepreneur-friendly municipality in North Savonia with about 3,500 residents. Its strong sense of community is evident in various ways, and the “let’s do it together” mentality is alive and well. Vieremä is home to Ponssen, a forestry machine company, and is a strong center of the forest industry.
Vieremä combines successful entrepreneurship with lush rural landscapes.
-
Pielavesi is known for its volleyball and javelin-throwing traditions and as the birthplace of President Kekkonen. However, what truly makes it special is its people. This relaxed rural municipality offers a sense of community that has often been lost in larger towns. Newcomers are welcomed with open arms, and neighbors help one another.
With about 4,100 residents, Pielavesi offers not only beautiful landscapes but also a smooth everyday life. During the summer, the population increases by almost half, as leisure residents come to enjoy the lively atmosphere of Pielavesi. The saying goes that if you can’t find it in Pielavesi, you don’t need it.
-
Keitele, located by Lake Nilakka, is a progressive municipality offering nature, peace, and a safe environment for raising children. All basic services are close by, and free recreational activities are available for people of all ages.
The nature-oriented municipality with about 2,000 residents is also an important industrial hub, with one of Finland’s largest sawmills producing 860,000 cubic meters of sawn timber annually. The municipality is one of the most self-sufficient in terms of employment in the region.
-
Suonenjoki, the strawberry capital of Finland, is much more than just berries. Its deep lakes and high ridges offer some of the most beautiful skiing trails and terrain for hiking and mountain biking in Savonia.
Strawberries bring a lot of work and income to Suonenjoki, and the food industry is one of the area’s main sectors, alongside the wood and metal industries.
The city of 7,000 residents offers excellent services, including municipal health services that are quick and efficient. The new Lintharjun Sports Center has just opened, featuring a brand-new swimming pool, a multi-purpose hall, and a gym for the city’s residents.
-
Tervo is a municipality with about 1,400 residents, and one-third of its area is water. It is a paradise of waterways, attracting especially tourists and cottage owners.
In recent years, Tervo has focused on vitality, community, and tourism development. Small businesses are common, with agriculture, transportation, and services being the most significant employers in the area.
-
Rautalampi is a lively rural municipality full of history, located in the heart of Finland. The national park’s landscapes are marked by significant elevation differences, and numerous lakes and ponds.
With 3,000 residents, Rautalampi offers spacious living close to nature and services. Despite its small size, the municipality has successfully provided basic services for its residents, including health, education, elderly care, and daycare, in collaboration with local and private service providers.
-
Vesanto is a village-sized municipality with about 1,850 residents. Located by one of Europe’s cleanest water systems, it is known as the “heartland.” The name reflects the community’s spirit, with active local volunteers organizing legendary events like the Reiska Football World Cup for a thousand participants or weekly children’s sports competitions involving 100 eager young athletes.
-
Kaavi cannot be described; it must be experienced. Like the stars in the night sky or diamonds in a rock crevice, Kaavi is a paradise of hidden riches. It is a place where one can live, grow, start a business, and travel in a way that feels meaningful.
This lively municipality with about 3,000 residents is located in the best part of Savonia, yet close to everything. Kuopio, the capital of Savonia, is just 60 kilometers away, making the airport also nearby.
-
Rautavaara surprises with unique and unforgettable experiences in nature! With about 1,400 residents, Rautavaara is a wilderness municipality in North Savonia, attracting nature lovers and tourists year-round. The forests, lakes, and Tiilikkajärvi National Park make it an ideal destination for hiking and outdoor activities. Rautavaara is also known for its strong village spirit and focus on local wellbeing.
-
Tuusniemi is a picturesque municipality located in the heart of Eastern Finland, halfway between Kuopio and Joensuu. Known for the lake Juojärvi, which is the regional lake of North Savonia, Tuusniemi offers great transportation links and a variety of local services.
Famous for its summer cottages, leisure activities, and excellent services, it is a great place to live. The Heinävesi Canal and its access to the Valamo Monastery and the Saimaa Canal to all world seas are also notable attractions. Also, one of Northern Savo’s popular hiking destinations, the Seinävuori Gorge Valley, is located in Tuusniemi.
-
Living in Leppävirta offers quality. Its location between large bodies of water and two cities, along with high-quality education and basic services, as well as abundant sports and recreational opportunities, makes Leppävirta an ideal place to live for its approximately 9,700 residents. There is plenty to do in Leppävirta, with attractions such as the Moomin Ice Cave and the adventure park with zip lines. The so-called “Seventh Wonder of Savo,” the Orinoro Gorge, is also located there. The Orinoro Gorge, shaped by the Ice Age, is about 200 meters long and nearly 20 meters deep at its deepest point. A spring bubbles at the bottom of the gorge, and snow and ice can remain there until June.
-
Varkaus has many sides to choose from, and you can make it your own. The city’s lake nature reaches right into the center, and culture enthusiasts will find several unique places to visit.
The businesses in Varkaus thrive, grow, develop, and produce. Many large companies in the machinery and energy technology industries provide diverse career opportunities for specialists in various fields. The global atmosphere attracts small growing companies looking to reach global markets.
-
Known as the Paris of Savonia, Joroinen is a municipality with just under 5,000 residents, offering a homely and safe environment for living. With great transportation links and nature close by, Joroinen provides a wide variety of recreational opportunities and beautiful ridged landscapes, making it a great place to live!
Various forms of housing
-
There is a wide range of quality rental housing available. In Kuopio, for example, it is relatively easy to find an apartment with windows overlooking a forest, a lake or both, as nearly one third of the city’s surface area is water and half is covered by forests. The same also goes for the other municipalities and cities in Savo.
Check out the rental housing options in Kuopio:
The largest landlord in Kuopio is the city-owned rental housing company Niiralan Kulma Oy. The company owns more than 7,000 apartments, which are home to around 12,000 Kuopio residents. Most of the rental units are in apartment buildings, but there are also some single-family houses and terraced houses for rent. In addition, Kuopio has youth and student housing designed for young people and rental housing for the elderly that meets the service needs of senior citizens.
Check out the rental housing options in Iisalmi:
Petterinkulma Oy is a limited liability company established by the City of Iisalmi in 1965 to provide and maintain rental homes in the Iisalmi area. The company owns more than 1,400 apartments, which are home to approximately 2,200 local residents.
The Petterinkulma apartments are affordable and in good condition. They are located in a variety of locations throughout the city. Petterinkulma is committed to fair rental practices in all its operations and is a safe and reliable landlord. Pets are also welcome in the homes of Petterinkulma.
See all the rental homes available in the municipalities in the SavoGrow region on the Savon Villi Länsi website.
-
Homes are available in apartment buildings and terraced houses as well as single-family houses. Right-of-occupancy housing is an alternative to buying or renting a home. For example, Kuopio currently has around 1,140 right-of-occupancy apartments and more are being built all the time. The newest homes are located in the following residential areas: Päiväranta, Saaristokaupunki, Mölymäki, Petonen and Julkula.
Browse right-of-occupancy apartments in Kuopio
-
North Savo has a good supply of diverse plots for single-family houses, terraced houses, apartment buildings and businesses.
For example, Kuopio puts around 60 new single-family house plots up for application every year, which can typically be applied for in spring and/or autumn. Single-family house plots in the continuous application process can be applied for year-round. These plots are located both in the central urban area and in rural communities (Riistavesi, Vehmersalmi, Karttula, Pihkainmäki, Syvänniemi, Maaninka, Käärmelahti, Nilsiä, Juankoski, Muuruvesi and Säyneinen). There are currently around 170 single-family house plots available in the rural communities, with the largest number in Vehmersalmi, Maaninka and Juankoski.
In addition to level-ground plots, lakeside plots are often available, for which bids are invited by e.g. the city of Kuopio.
In addition, leased land is available for some 330 holiday homes.
- Plots
- House plots (urban area and rural communities)
- Holiday home plots and cottage parcels
- Plots in Iisalmi
- Plots in the SavoGrow region (on the Savon Villi Länsi website)