Tampere and Kuopio are Finland’s most attractive cities – Lahti shows the greatest improvement

For the second year in a row, Tampere remains Finland’s most attractive city, with Kuopio a clear second. Lahti has seen the greatest improvement in its ranking and appeal. In T-Media’s Attractiveness & Impact survey of the ten largest cities, people are taking a more critical view of changes in their living environment. The most important factors contributing to a city’s attractiveness are a sense of community in the neighborhood and safety-related factors.

At the turn of the year, T-Media surveyed potential residents’ views on the appeal of Finland’s ten largest cities. Although there are clear differences in the ratings received by the cities surveyed, on average, the cities receive the highest ratings for their location, the services they offer, and the vitality of the area.

**Lähde:** T-Median Kaupunkien Vetovoima&Vaikutus-tutkimus 2021. Asteikolla 1–5 annettuja arvioita tulkitaan seuraavasti: erinomainen tulos ≥ 4.00, hyvä tulos 3.50–3.99, kohtalainen tulos 3.00–3.49, heikko tulos <3.00. Kaupungin sijoitus listalla pohjautuu tutkimuksessa saatuihin mainepistemääriin. Taulukossa esitetyt luvut on pyöristetty kahden desimaalin tarkkuudella. Sijoitukset on määritetty pyöristämättömistä luvuista.

Tampere has once again ranked first in the study in terms of both attractiveness and reputation. The reputation of Tampere and the other cities studied was assessed not only using the Attractiveness & Impact model but also Reputation&Trust, which measures perceptions of the city’s operations as an organization, such as perceptions of the effectiveness of city administration and the city as an employer.

Attraction and trust must be earned

Tampere has continued its systematic efforts to develop various aspects of its appeal and reputation. The city is the only one in the study to receive an “excellent” rating in the vitality category: a growing economic region where businesses thrive. Kuopio is the only city to achieve an “excellent” rating in the “community” category: the area is home to friendly people, and residents thrive. Helsinki receives an “excellent” rating for its location.

“Tampere is known as a city with a vibrant energy. Good cooperation with the business community, educational institutions, and the university community is the cornerstone of Tampere, but an attractive city is built on many elements: services, a smooth daily life, events and leisure opportunities, the courage to develop our city, and, above all, a pleasant atmosphere. “This is created through close and effective cooperation with various stakeholders and city residents,” says Tampere Mayor Anna-Kaisa Ikonen.

Sari Maunula, Research Director at T-Media, emphasizes that nothing comes for free: a city’s attractions, strengths, and weaknesses must be identified, and once identified, a great deal of humble and systematic work is required. It is also a matter of will: the desire to develop and grow.

“Building a city’s appeal requires cooperation and commitment—a shared vision and systematic action. There are rarely quick wins in attractiveness or reputation building; long-term work pays off. As the city’s and its region’s appeal improves, people’s trust, willingness to speak positively, and interest in using services, working, or living in the area are strengthened.”

“In light of our research, attractiveness also has a strong impact on the positive behavior of current residents, as well as on the confidence of businesses operating in the area—or those considering doing so—and their willingness to invest and collaborate,” says Maunula.

The Helsinki metropolitan area suffers from a high cost of living – Lahti has seen the greatest increase in its appeal

Cities in the Helsinki metropolitan area, particularly Helsinki, are struggling with high operating costs. Espoo has the highest vitality rating in the metropolitan area. Vantaa’s overall attractiveness scores have declined the most, and the city has fallen to last place among the largest cities.

“Lahti has seen the greatest increase in its appeal over the past year. This can be attributed to at least two factors that have brought the city positive publicity. Last year, Lahti was the European Green Capital, and it has also been marketing itself as a new, strong university city,” says Kari Väisänen, the senior expert responsible for the T-Media study.

“In addition to the ten largest cities, we examined several other cities. It is worth noting that many medium-sized regional cities receive excellent ratings in the areas of community and living environment. Examples of such cities include Rovaniemi and Lappeenranta.”

This is how we conducted the study

The results are based on the “Attractiveness & Impact” survey conducted by T-Media in December 2021 and January 2022. The survey examined the attractiveness of Finland’s ten largest cities—in terms of population—particularly among potential residents. A total of 1,698 Finns participated in the survey. The target group for the survey was Finns aged 15–65, excluding the Åland Islands.

In T-Media’s Attractiveness & Impact survey model, a city’s attractiveness score is calculated as the average of six different categories: vitality, community, environment, location, services, and cost structure.

For more information:

Kari Väisänen, Senior Advisor, T-Media
+358 400 138767

Photo: Kristian Tervo