Thompson, Canada

The population is a modest 13,035, but the reality of life in this remote northern hub is far from quaint. Thompson's economy revolves around the volatile nickel mining industry, which has led to major boom-and-bust cycles and over 400 mining job losses in recent years. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, with Thompson serving as the judicial center for a vast geographic area and the RCMP citing the city's "desirable place for drug trafficking" as a key driver of its sky-high crime severity index. Despite its picturesque boreal forest setting, Thompson's subarctic climate with long, severely cold winters is a harsh fact of life. This hardscrabble outpost is best suited for those drawn to the allure of the Canadian North and willing to brave its challenges.