Dayton — known as one of the friendliest environments for recent college graduates — has successfully fostered economic growth in recent years in a variety of service industries. Thanks to its renewable water aquifers and its relationship with the United States Air Force, Dayton has become a center for research in the fields of aeronautical and aerospace engineering. Along with its prominence in manufacturing, Dayton is home to a thriving arts community, including the nation’s oldest ballet company, the Dayton Ballet. The birthplace of aviation, the Wright Brothers supplied the ingenuity (while North Carolina supplied just some wind!) Dayton more than lives up to its reputation as the Gem City.