Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate positive mental health (PMH) and factors related to it among those living alone in the sparsely populated area of the Lapland region. Design/methodology/approach The study utilises data from the Mental Health Survey of the Lapland region in Finland, covering 12 municipalities. The scores of short Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (sWEMWBS) were categorised into three levels of PMH. Logistic regression models were used to separately estimate the odds ratios for the high level of PMH compared with the moderate level of PMH and the low level of PMH compared with the moderate level. Findings Social support seemed to be very strongly associated with both low and high levels of PMH among people living alone. Participating in activities provided by organisations or societies decreased the odds of having low PMH. Among men, young age predicted low PMH. Originality/value The number of people living alone in Finland and other parts of Europe is increasing, yet there are few studies focusing on their positive mental health (PMH). Using scales such as sWEMWBS adds to the authors’ knowledge about the positive mental well-being of those living alone, especially in rural areas, thus making it possible to utilise mental health promotion interventions effectively and accordingly.