2. Beijing 

Population: 21.54 million

Area: 16,808 square kilometers

As the political, cultural and educational heart of China, Beijing is unsurprisingly one of the top destinations for migrants. According to the Beijing statistical yearbook, its population is around 21.54 million, nearly one third (7.6 million) of whom are migrants. 

Despite the high cost of living and difficultly in obtaining a Beijing hukou (household registration) people continue to flock here. Besides job opportunities and the highest salary of any city in China at 145,766 yuan, its excellent education, advanced hospitals, first-rate public facilities, as well as historical and cultural sites lure people seeking a better life.