Belleville, Canada

With a population of just 55,071, Belleville is a sleepy Ontario outpost that offers little more than a quaint small-town vibe. The city's location on the Bay of Quinte provides some scenic lakefront, but the climate is brutally variable, with frigid winters one year and only modest snowfall the next. And while the local economy hums along thanks to major employers like Procter & Gamble, the city's bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as evidenced by the complex web of public school boards and overlapping government jurisdictions. Belleville may appeal to retirees seeking a tranquil lakeside existence, but it's hardly the bustling metropolis that many expats fantasize about.