I've been wanting to discuss the topic of China's wealthiest cities. Recently, I came across some data that I found quite interesting, so I want to share my observations.

When it comes to China's richest cities, many people's first reaction might be Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, but in fact, some cities have per capita incomes that surpass them. Last year, Shanghai's per capita income was 88,300 RMB, and Beijing's was 85,000 RMB, both of which are truly leading. Shenzhen follows closely behind with a per capita income of 81,100 RMB. No wonder—Huawei, Tencent, BYD, DJI, these tech giants are all based in Shenzhen, making the city synonymous with innovation and wealth.

But there's an interesting phenomenon here. Cities like Guangzhou, Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Nanjing all have per capita incomes ranging from 76,000 to 77,800 RMB, very close to each other. Suzhou once had the world's top industrial output and has been competing with Shanghai and Shenzhen; Hangzhou, as the capital of Zhejiang Province, attracts capital and talent from across the province; Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong Province, which itself is China's largest GDP province.

What impresses me most are some cities in Zhejiang and Fujian. Ningbo's per capita income is 75,000 RMB—this port city is no joke. Saudi oil, Australian iron ore, Indonesian coal, and American soybeans all pass through Ningbo Port to enter the Chinese market, and its industrial output ranks in the top ten nationwide. Hangzhou's per capita income is 76,700 RMB, and Shaoxing's is 72,900 RMB. These two cities are very close geographically and both have strong private economies. Interestingly, the owner of China's richest Nongfu Spring and Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, both come from Shaoxing.

Xiamen also shouldn't be overlooked, with a per capita income of 74,200 RMB. Wealthy people in Fujian tend to settle in Xiamen, and as a result, housing prices there have surpassed those in Hangzhou and Guangzhou. Nanjing, as the capital of Jiangsu Province, has a per capita income of 74,800 RMB and also holds a place on this list.

I think the underlying logic is quite clear. These cities are either provincial capitals, controlling resource flows; port cities with developed trade; or places with particularly strong private economies. For college students looking for high-paying jobs, these ten cities are definitely the best options. Recently, I’ve also been paying attention to investment opportunities related to these areas on Gate, and I feel that the changing economic landscape is worth continuous observation.