Meihekou, China

With a population of just over 500,000, Meihekou is no bustling metropolis. This regional transport hub in China's Jilin province has experienced wild swings in its demographics, dropping by over 30% in the 2010s before bouncing back with a 60% surge to 420,000 residents by 2023. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as the city is administratively a county-level division under the prefecture-level city of Tonghua. However, Meihekou's location in the western foothills of the Changbai Mountains provides access to a major railway network and national highways, making it a logical choice for those looking to live outside the crowded coastal regions.