Suomussalmi: population and statistics
Suomussalmi has a population of 6,957 (2025) across 5,270.2 km², or 1.3 people per km². It ranks 133 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −16.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 6,957 residents
- 5,270.2 km²
- 1 people/km²
- 193 m
Suomussalmi in numbers
Key points
Among the 8 municipalities in Kainuu, Suomussalmi ranks No. 4 by population.
Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders): 33.6 per 1,000 inh. in Suomussalmi, compared with an average of 38.5 per 1,000 inh. in Kainuu and 59.4 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 24.4% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 46° generates about 807 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Kainuu for “Elevation”.
- “Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders)”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings built before 1940”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Unemployed as a share of the labour force”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 738,129 football pitches.
- Its population density is 14.3 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Hyrynsalmi, 30.5 km away.
Population of Suomussalmi over time
Suomussalmi had 8,336 residents in 2015 and 6,957 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 7,594 |
| 2021 | 7,508 |
| 2022 | 7,367 |
| 2023 | 7,172 |
| 2024 | 7,038 |
| 2025 | 6,957 |
All indicators for Suomussalmi
Value for the municipality, then the regional average and the national median (for counts: regional and national totals). The gauge places the municipality between the lowest and highest value in the country.
Population
| Indicator | Suomussalmi | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 9.1% | 12.4% | 13.3% | ranked 279 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 43.3% | 31.8% | 31.2% | ranked 23 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 55.5 years | 48.4 | 48.5 | ranked 19 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ranked 222 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 2.6% | 5.2% | 3.4% | ranked 194 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Suomussalmi | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 4,735 no. | 43,053 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 117 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 1.0% | – | 8.2% | ranked 290 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 5.6% | – | 14.5% | ranked 285 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 58.1% | – | 64.5% | ranked 200 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 16.6% | – | 11.1% | ranked 112 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 20.9% | – | 16.9% | ranked 92 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 306.3 /1,000 inh. | 169.3 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 105 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Suomussalmi | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 9.0% | – | 3.9% | ranked 68 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 33.9% | – | 39.8% | ranked 249 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 3.0% | – | 5.5% | ranked 249 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 10.7% | – | 17.1% | ranked 254 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 43.4% | – | 29.1% | ranked 46 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Suomussalmi | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 831 no. | 7,427 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 152 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 118.1 /1,000 inh. | 106.5 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 209 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 27,400 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 251 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 663 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 192 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 234 per 1,000 inh. | 2,662 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 178 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 33.6 per 1,000 inh. | 38.5 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 298 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1.6 per 1,000 inh. | 2.1 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 249 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Suomussalmi | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 1,972 no. | 27,030 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 150 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 16.1% | 12.1% | 10.8% | ranked 18 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 68.2% | 72.1% | 75.4% | ranked 277 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Suomussalmi | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 89.3 /1,000 inh. | 119.0 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 37 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Suomussalmi | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 572 /1,000 inh. | 538 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 166 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Suomussalmi | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 17.3% | 15.4% | 14.3% | ranked 54 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Suomussalmi | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 19.2% | 26.9% | 24.1% | ranked 265 of 302 |
Business sectors: Suomussalmi
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work24.4% ×1.3
- Manufacturing12.7% ×1.0
- Wholesale and retail trade9.5% ×0.9
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing9.4% ×3.9
- Public administration and defence8.2% ×1.7
- Administrative and support services7.8% ×1.1
- Education5.5% ×0.7
- Construction4.8% ×0.7
Sunshine and temperatures: Suomussalmi
Where is Suomussalmi?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Suomussalmi?
Suomussalmi has 6,957 residents (2025), ranking 133 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Suomussalmi?
Suomussalmi covers 5,270.2 km², with a density of 1 people per km².
Is the population of Suomussalmi growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Suomussalmi went from 8,336 to 6,957, a change of −16.5%.
Where is Suomussalmi?
Suomussalmi is in Kainuu. Latitude 64.885, longitude 28.913.
Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders): what is the figure for Suomussalmi?
In Suomussalmi, “Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders)” stands at 33.6 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 298 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 53.9 per 1,000 inh..
Share of dwellings built before 1940: what is the figure for Suomussalmi?
In Suomussalmi, “Share of dwellings built before 1940” stands at 1.0% (2025), ranking 290 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 8.2%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Suomussalmi?
In Suomussalmi, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 46° produces about 807 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Suomussalmi?
The nearest to Suomussalmi are Hyrynsalmi (30 km), Ristijärvi (54 km), Puolanka (59 km), Paltamo (74 km), Taivalkoski (83 km).
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