12.Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh, North Carolina

Flickr / NCDOTcommunications

Patents per million residents: 1,164
Average patents per year: 1,273
Top industry: Computer hardware and peripherals
The other major part of the "research triangle" with Durham/Chapel Hill.
Source: Brookings

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-20-most-innovative-cities-in-the-us-2013-2?op=1#ixzz2RzXxKGAO