We previously called Kuopio a city of water – but how well does that claim hold up against its toughest regional rivals?
We compared Kuopio’s inland water statistics with those of Jyväskylä, Joensuu, Mikkeli and Savonlinna. As expected, Kuopio was among the frontrunners, but one rival repeatedly pulled ahead.
Kuopio has more than 1,000 square kilometres of inland water, enough for second place in our comparison. Only Savonlinna ranks higher. ___
Around a quarter of Kuopio’s total area is water. This is also the second-highest share, with Savonlinna once again taking the top spot. ____
 Kuopio has 917 lakes and ponds, falling just 38 short of first place. Mikkeli wins this category with 955 bodies of water. Savonlinna comes fourth this time, while Jyväskylä finishes a clear last. ___ Finally, we looked at how much water each resident would “get” if the total water area were divided equally among the population. Savonlinna is in a league of its own, while Kuopio ranks third.
 There are 1.2 football pitches’ worth of water per resident in Kuopio, compared with an impressive 6.2 in Savonlinna and just 0.3 in Jyväskylä. The figures are based on population data from 31 December 2025.
The final result
Savonlinna dominates the comparison’s most impressive water statistics, but Kuopio remains close to the top by every measure. There is therefore good reason to call Kuopio a city of water, even if it cannot claim the undisputed title of lake queen among this group.