Neighbouring municipalities are Hankasalmi, Konnevesi, Pieksämäki, Suonenjoki, Tervo and Vesanto.

[7][8] Administratively Rautalampi was divided into three divisions (despite their amount, called "fourths"): Not too long after the establishment of the parish, most likely in 1563, the divisions were renamed: Keitele became Kymi, Konnevesi became Rautalampi and Saraavesi became Pernasalo.

[10] The Finnish rock band Grand Merlin, originally from Rautalampi, made a Finnish-language cover version of the 1974 Lynyrd Skynyrd single "Sweet Home Alabama" in 1983.

The song under the name "Rautalampi" was written by the band's bassist Hannu Niskanen.

[11] In the 1980s, the traditional dish of Rautalampi was a "cobbler's roast" (Suutarin paisti) made of browned pork and vendace.