1.San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California

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Patents per million residents: 5,066
Average patents per year: 9,237
Top industry: Computer hardware/peripherals
The San Jose area crushes the competition in every category. It's home to incredibly inventive companies like Google and elite universities like Stanford. 

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-20-most-innovative-cities-in-the-us-2013-2?op=1#ixzz2RT3qiOFD