Your City Match: Taiyuan

  Population: 4.4 million

  Average Wage: $10,096/year

  Air Quality Index: 132 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups)

  Migrant Percentage: 23.6%

The provincial capital of Shanxi, Taiyuan is more or less the epicenter of China’s coal country. Since Shanxi province produces over a quarter of China’s coal, Taiyuan has served as the transportation hub for coal and other commodities to various demand centers of the country. The city also recently established the Taiyuan Coal Exchange Center to provide timely market information to support the coal industry. Given the large presence of the coal industry, Taiyuan’s air quality and environment has suffered.

Taiyuan’s cuisine is typically hearty and consists largely of noodles and other wheat-based items, often served with one of the city’s specialties, Lao Chen vinegar. With a long history of trade, the city has several historic buildings that once belonged to prominent local traders, including Qiao’s Grand Courtyard, a family compound owned by well-known financiers in the 19th century. Other places of interest include the Shanxi Museum, the Twin Towers in Yongzuo Temple, and Jinci Temple.