Reviews & Comments
Flagstaff, AZ
re: how's winter in Flagstaff
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11/18/2019Flagstaff snow is very different from Michigan snow. Last year (2018) we had about a half dozen storms. Most of the early season snow is gone in 24 hours, thanks to low humidity, high elevation and abundant sunshine. Our heaviest snow comes in late winter/early spring. Spring storms can take up to a week to melt. But like Colorado and Utah, Flagstaff winters are sun filled and much more enjoyable than in the Midwest.
Flagstaff, AZ
re: Plusses and minuses concerning Flagstaff'
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11/18/2019I’ve lived in upstate New York and worked in Chicago, and think Flagstaff winters are a breeze. Yes, it does snow here...but unlike eastern winters the snow falls, the clouds clear and the sun returns. It can be 35 degrees here but if the sun’s out I barely need a jacket. Low humidity is a big plus. We’re in mid-November and it was 70 degrees today. I remember Midwest winters where you wouldn’t see the sun for months. I guess everyone’s perspective is different, but I think Flagstaff’s climate is awesome.
Flagstaff, AZ
re: Living in Flagstaff
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11/18/2019Great review. When I hear people complaining about commute times and congestion in Flagstaff I scratch my head. Yes, traffic near NAU is getting pretty bad. But my daily commute is six minutes (nine if I miss every light). I’ve lived in Scottsdale, Boulder and Denver. Flagstaff is a bargain by comparison.
Flagstaff, AZ
re: Some Honest Thoughts on Flag.
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11/18/2019I’ve owned homes in Flagstaff on and off for 25 years. I think your review is very balanced, with one exception: cost of living. First, I’ve been shopping for a winter home in Phoenix for about the last 18 months. To my surprise I’m finding that a quality home in a decent part of the Phoenix metro is about the same price per foot as an equivalent house in a decent Flagstaff neighborhood. Property taxes, however are much higher in the Phoenix metro than Flagstaff. Likewise for annual utilities. Five years ago this wasn’t the case, but a lot of western alternative cities have taken a wild ride on the inflation train. To me, Flagstaff is starting to look like a bargain.
Flagstaff, AZ
Not perfect, but pretty darned nice. -
11/16/2019Flagstaff is a city that enjoys clean air, a mild four season climate and abundant natural beauty. Nestled near the San Francisco Peaks, approximately 50 miles south of the Grand Canyon Flagstaff is a paradise for anyone who enjoys nature and the outdoors. As a place to live Flagstaff is very different from many other sunbelt cities. On the positive, while it has become more populated in the last 20 years it is still far less congested than nearby Phoenix or Las Vegas. Traffic is typically problematic only when your travels take you near Northern Arizona University’s campus. Crime is relatively low, and the city still enjoys a small, community feel. On the negative, Flagstaff housing is costlier than the state average. This is exasperated by the fact the City’s primary industry is tourism (and the typically low wage jobs it creates). Beyond the University, Gore Medical Devices and the Flagstaff Medical Center it can difficult to find a job that pays a living wage. The city government has done a poor job diversifying Flagstaff’s economic base beyond tourism, due in part to a prevalent fear among some citizens of growth or - gasp - turning into Phoenix. The irony is that the people who are most afraid of growth are often the same ones who complain about low wages and expensive housing. Flagstaff is in desperate need of a ten year plan that grows the economy by leveraging the University and the existing bio tech industry to create higher paying jobs in clean, future driven industries. Because of the 30 degree difference in summer temperatures (compared to Phoenix & Vegas), Flagstaff is a popular place to own a summer home. A recent study suggests one out of three homes in Flagstaff is owned by part time residents. Consequently, this also has driven up the cost of housing and results in significant population surges in the summer months. In summary: while not perfect, Flagstaff is a great place to live as long as you land one of the higher paying jobs in town or have some degree of financial independence. The city has a growing number of unique restaurants, pubs and micro-breweries, reasonably good public schools, modern medical facilities and a sense of community that is difficult to find in other western cities. If you’ve been to Bend, OR of Boulder, CO I think you’ll find the feel and pace of Flagstaff to be very familiar. My hope is that local government and community leaders will come together to forge a vision for Flagstaff’s future that is both environmentally and economically sustainable, before it’s too late.