Suomussalmi is a municipality of many vibrant villages. There are approximately twenty villages in Suomussalmi and about 30 percent of the municipality's population lives in them. The population of many villages increases during the summer due to the leisure residents.
Maintaining the vitality of the villages is in the interest of the entire municipality. Suomussalmi's municipality strategy which is based on the cooperation of municipality, associations, organisations and companies also aims for this. Village associations play a significant role in maintaining and developing the villages. The municipality supports vital villages with an annual village activity grant and there's also fund for village development that villages can apply for.
Suomussalmi's villages include for example Hossa, Kianta, Korpela, Lappi, Myllylahti, Näljänkä, Näätälä, Pesiökylä, Piispajärvi, Pyhäkylä, Raate, Ruhtinansalmi, Saarikylä, Vuokki and Vääkiö.
