Boston is the capital of Massachusetts and one of the oldest cities in the United States. Often, Boston is considered the unofficial “Capital of New England”. The city of Boston is part of an area called Greater Boston and home to 4.5 million people in the tenth-largest metropolitan area in America. Boston is an international center for higher education and medicine, and home to an economy based on research, electronics, engineering, finance and biotech and other high-tech industry. Boston was ranked #1 for innovation globally and in North America and has the 12th largest economy in the world. Boston has a high cost of living, but also ranks very high in livability, third in the US and 37th internationally. Boston is the only US state capital to reside on an ocean coastline. Similar to other historical American cities, Boston is considered a “city of neighborhoods” with 21 official neighborhoods in and used by the city of Boston. Boston University, Harvard University, Northeastern University, Boston College, and Suffolk University, are only some of the reputable colleges and universities located in or around Boston.