After years of living in Philadelphia's shadow, Wilmington has emerged as a national banking center. Beginning with the du Pont family enterprises, the city has been a leading industrial and shipping hub since the nineteenth century. Today its diversified labor force, low corporate tax burden, economic incentives for new and expanding companies, and teamwork between the public and private sectors make it extremely attractive to new businesses. Although situated in the most densely populated area of the northeast, Wilmington is a very livable city. Because of its small size, it enjoys the advantages of a large metropolitan area while escaping the disadvantages, such as traffic congestion, noise pollution, and smog. City residents profit from a comparatively low cost of living and cultural perquisites inherent in an area that boasts two of the country's top museums and bills itself as the "Corporate Capital of the World."