Yichun, China

With a population of just under 900,000, Yichun is a sprawling lumber town deep in the northeast of China. The city sits in the shadow of the Lesser Khingan Mountains, where frigid winters drag on for half the year and the ever-present bureaucracy is a persistent headache. Yet Yichun's GDP topped $3 billion in 2010, driven by wood processing and metallurgy - two industries that account for over 90% of the city's industrial output. The airport serves 142,000 passengers annually, connecting this remote outpost to the rest of Heilongjiang Province. While the nature is undoubtedly beautiful, with dense forests and rivers galore, Yichun is best suited for those seeking a rugged, blue-collar lifestyle far from China's glittering megacities.