Balga, Australia

With a population of just 13,864, Balga is an affordable but unremarkable suburb north of Perth. Median incomes are well below the city average, and the population skews younger and more ethnically diverse than the broader metropolitan area. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as evidenced by the lack of a full WACE program at the local high school. Balga may appeal to budget-conscious young families or new immigrants looking for accessible housing, but there's little here to excite the average expat.