The urban centre of Kuopio consists of several distinctive neighbourhoods. You can find descriptions of bigger areas with several neighbourhoods combined below, but more detailed descriptions and presentations can be found on the website of the city of Kuopio, where you can read a brief description of each neighbourhood (in Finnish).
The centre and the nearby neighbourhoods of Hatsala, Niirala, Haapaniemi and Rönö provide versatile urban living for residents who appreciate services. The housing stock of the city centre mainly consists of apartment buildings, and the population is divided into elderly households on the one hand, and young students and working singles on the other. Similarly, Haapaniemi is a neighbourhood dominated by apartment buildings and home to ageing and young residents. The single-family house area of Niirala appeals to families with children, as does the island of Rönö, which consists primarily of single-family houses and provides a slightly higher standard of living next to the city park of Väinölänniemi. The network of narrow streets, known as rännikatu in Finnish, in the city centre forms the largest pedestrian area in a city centre in Finland.
Linnanpelto, Itkonniemi and Männistö and the slightly more distant Kelloniemi are old, peaceful neighbourhoods 2–4 kilometres northeast of the Market Square. The neighbourhoods are dominated by apartment buildings, with the exception of Linnanpelto, which mainly consists of detached and terraced houses. In addition to residential buildings, Kelloniemi is also the location of many offices of industrial and commercial enterprises. Households are fairly small, composed of one or two people. Just under one fifth of the population in these neighbourhoods are families with children. The population is the oldest of all the urban areas of Kuopio. The mean age of the residents is just over 40 years. Located next to Kelloniemi, Rahusenkangas is an exception, as it is a neighbourhood of detached houses close to nature and popular among families with children.
The neighbourhoods of Puijonlaakso and Rypysuo are located about 2–3 kilometres northwest of the city centre. Rypysuo is an old, versatile neighbourhood, whereas the housing stock of Puijonlaakso mainly consists of apartment buildings. The population ranges from students to working-age residents and senior citizens. Peipposenrinne and the new neighbourhood of Pihlajalaakso are areas built up with apartment buildings and detached houses. Following the shoreline of Lake Kallavesi, Julkula is dominated by terraced houses and popular among young couples and families, as are the neighbourhoods of Päiväranta and Kettulanlahti with their detached houses, located near Kallansillat, the bridges across Lake Kallavesi. Apart from Kettulanlahti, all the neighbourhoods described above are bordered by the nature reserve of Puijo.
Located 2–3 kilometres south of the city centre, the neighbourhoods of Särkiniemi and Särkilahti are youthful areas with apartment buildings and terraced houses, home to many students and families. The forested Neulamäki is located 4–5 kilometres southwest of the centre of Kuopio, on the other side of Savilahti. The neighbourhood offers a wide range of terraced and detached houses and apartment buildings, and its age structure spreads evenly across the spectrum from young people to senior citizens. The outdoor recreation network is excellent due to the nature conservation area of Kolmisoppi. Located about 6 kilometres south of the centre, Levänen also provides versatile housing options close to nature, as does Jynkkä with its single-family houses that are especially preferred by young families with children.
Located roughly 5 kilometres south of the Market Square, Lehtoniemi–Keilanranta forms the neighbourhood of Saaristokaupunki, dominated by apartment buildings. Lehtoniemi, built in the 2010s and 2020s, and Rautaniemi, a neighbourhood largely consisting of detached houses on the other side of the Keilankanta bridge, are the newest neighbourhoods in Kuopio, together with Pihlajalaakso near Puijo. These northern parts of Saaristokaupunki, where the distance from your doorstep to the shore is never more than 500 metres, are popular among families, which can also be seen in the large number of playgrounds in the area. The population of Rautaniemi is the youngest of all the urban areas of Kuopio, with a mean age of 28 years. The gorgeous scenery of Saaristokatu makes the road a national sightseeing destination.
Petonen is a full-service, green park city, located just over 10 kilometres from the centre of Kuopio. The versatile housing stock of the neighbourhood on the southern side of Kuopio offers something for everyone. Located in the centre of the area and dominated by apartment buildings, Pyörö is surrounded by the terraced and detached house areas of Litmanen and Pitkälahti. Linking the southern parts of Saaristokaupunki, Pirttiniemi and Savolanniemi, the neighbourhood dominated by single-family houses and popular among families is interlinked with both the park city of Petonen and Saaristokaupunki. Located next to Petonen are the growing hub of jobs in Kuopio, the business park of southern Kuopio, in addition to the Emergency Services Academy Finland and the Lippumäki local sports park.
The rural area of Kuopio includes six municipal centres, namely, Riistavesi, Vehmersalmi, Karttula, Nilsiä, Maaninka and Juankoski. The consolidations of areas made Kuopio the biggest milk producer municipality and the second-biggest producer of beef in Finland. In addition, several smaller rural villages belong to Kuopio. They mainly use the services of neighbourhoods located in the city area. The southern village of Vehmasmäki is home to the Kuopio Animal Park, founded in 1984, whereas the communal village of Kurkimäki is a rural neighbourhood that is popular among young families with children. Hiltulanlahti, dominated by detached houses, and Puutossalmi, which is known for its ferry, are also home to many working-age families.
