• 4th among U.S. states for number of high schools on U.S.News & World Report’s 2012 list of “Top 300 U.S. High Schools”

• 6th in the nation for percentage of high school graduates passing at least one Advanced Placement exam

• In 2013, Viva Florida 500 commemorates Florida’s rich heritage and diverse cultural history — a significant milestone unlike any other in the history of the United States. Activities and events will mark Florida’s 500th anniversary, a statewide and yearlong event.

• 8 Florida cities — more than any other state — named “Top Arts Destinations” in 2012 by AmericanStyle magazine; 4 topped their categories: St. Petersburg and Tampa for mid-size cities; Sarasota and Bradenton for small

• More than 300 general medical and surgical hospitals

• One of the nation’s foremost healthcare destinations: Florida hospitals earned 31 top 50 rankings in U.S.News & World Report’s list of “America’s Best Hospitals, 2012”; four were among the top 20 nationwide in six medical specialities

• No personal income tax

• Cost of living below that of comparable states with similar growth and in-migration rate

• 1,350 golf courses

• 2,300 miles of tidal shoreline; 11,000 miles of rivers, streams and waterways

• 152 state parks

• World-class sporting events and 12 major professional sports franchises in Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, National Football League and National Hockey League

• NASCAR, the Daytona 500 and the PGA Tour, LPGA and the PGA of America all call the Sunshine State home