Tampere remains Finland’s most attractive city as Kuopio closes the gap

Tampere has again been named Finland’s most attractive city, though its lead over Kuopio has narrowed to the smallest margin yet, according to a new study by Reputation and Trust Analytics.

The Vetovoima & pitovoima 2026 (Attractiveness & Retention 2026) survey, published Tuesday, marks the fifth consecutive year Tampere has held the top spot since the study began in 2020. This year, however, Kuopio recorded a score of 3.76 on the regional reputation index, just 0.05 points behind Tampere’s 3.81.

“We can no longer speak of Tampere’s clear dominance,” said Susanna Saarenpää, an expert at Reputation and Trust Analytics, in a statement. “The gap between Tampere and Kuopio’s regional reputations has been shrinking continuously. Kuopio has now closed in right on its heels.”

The survey evaluates cities based on six criteria: economic vitality, community, safety, location, services, and cost structure. The final reputation score reflects the average across these areas.