The New Jersey natural charm and attraction can be found from the neighborhoods’ tree-lined streets and green park spaces to the clean ocean beaches along over 200,000 acres of coastal wetlands. The state offers a vast array of communities - including Long Beach Island - cities - including Atlantic City - small towns and rural lands; however, the majority of people live in old and newly developed suburbs. Ranked among the top ten states due to its number of Fortune 500 companies, the state also has the highest median household income in the nation, as well as the second highest per capita income, largely due to the numerous affluent suburbs. The state maintains a spectacular real estate market. Residents’ earnings have risen more than housing prices in recent years, meaning that an increasing number of people can now afford to buy property here. The state is at the national forefront of up-to-date educational initiatives, such as charter schools and standards-based reform and boasts the highest average scores for advanced placement testing in public schools in the nation. New Jersey also ranks among the best states across all categories in a recent study on higher education. Families will find no shortage of recreational and cultural options here, from cranberry festivals, the opera and bicycle races, to ethnic celebrations the Appalachian Mountains and trips to the shore.