Delaware

As the first of the 13 original states, Delaware has continued to prove itself as a leader – and you might want to pencil it in at the top of your list of places to call home.

The First State, as it is appropriately called, does not disappoint. It has one of the lowest crime rates in the nation, no sales tax (did you get that, shoppers?), and some pretty amazing outdoor recreation options – The Garden State Wine Trails in Cape May, Brandywine Zoo in Wilmington, with its 150+ animals, and Rehoboth Beach, home to some of the cleanest ocean water in America. Take a drive along the 58-mile Delaware Route 9 and check out the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, one of the largest remaining expanses of tidal salt marsh in the mid-Atlantic region, or go on an adventure to view some of the numerous lighthouses in the area.

Plus, in terms of business, Delaware has a wealth of top industries, from agriculture and banking to government service, health care, pharmaceuticals and retail.