Tell me about Flagstaff... - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

rcurrier44 · 10-07-2008, 10:45 AM

Well one of the places the fiancé is looking at for grad school is Flagstaff. What do you guys think about the area?

Are there jobs? I am going to be graduating with a degree in MET right before we move so I am going to need to get a job ASAP to support us.

How bad is the cost of living vs. the average income for the area? We live in Bozeman witch has gone from a college town to a Aspen type resort town. The pay scale is really low compared to the cost of housing and living here.

And finally how is the wheeling

Being the south west it might be a good excuse to build a tube buggy and ditch the cab truck

At least we will be a little closer to moab and the hammers!

Thanks
ROB

lancetkenyon · 10-07-2008, 07:49 PM

Not much wheeling other than FS roads in Flagstaff. You could drive 1 1/2 hrs south and be in rock HEAVEN though! NAU is a great party school, and the area is drop dead beautiful! It is not a very big town, and I would think jobs are relatively scarce, unless you want to work in an incense store(hippie town). One of my favorite areas in the state though. Lots of hunting available if you can beat the AZGFD draw process. I cannot seem to.

mrboyle · 10-07-2008, 08:05 PM

Haven't lived in AZ for a few years, but from what I learned growing up. Flagstaff is a decent town to visit, you just don't want to live there. Cost of living extreemly high for such a small town and jobs are fairly hard to come by. I knew a lot of people that drove 60+ miles south just to find jobs and still barely made enough money to continue living there. Like ^ said, wheeling is limited to FS roads and the cinder's (cinder pit turned into a rec area).

Jason4x4 · 10-07-2008, 10:06 PM

http://flagstaff4wheelers.com/

I know a guy that lives in Parks, He likes it, and wheels in his Back Yard...

rcurrier44 · 10-08-2008, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrboyle

I knew a lot of people that drove 60+ miles south just to find jobs and still barely made enough money to continue living there.

That's one thing I am definatly worried about. It's not great around here eather...

rcurrier44 · 10-08-2008, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lancetkenyon

Lots of hunting available if you can beat the AZGFD draw process. I cannot seem to.

So a resident can't just go to the store and purchase an elk tag

azyota · 10-08-2008, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcurrier44

So a resident can't just go to the store and purchase an elk tag

Nope! Getting drawn usually takes some time, but it is a draw. You could get lucky and get it first try. I havn't been drawn in several years but I did make it up with a couple friends that got tags a few weeks ago. One of them was last drawn 7-8 years ago.
You can get some OTC tags, but your success odds will be terrible. http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/over-the-co...elk-tags.shtml

RubiconJeepGuy · 10-29-2008, 03:45 PM

Sounds familiar

I'm in a similar situation. We relocated to AZ because my wife is going to grad school at NAU. The job market is pretty scarce in Flag and the closest place I could find a job is Mesa (basically Phoenix). So, we had to rent in one location and buy in another. After looking at the prices in flagstaff it was pretty obvious that we couldn't afford to buy anything there even though I think that would have been a better investment property with the college town of Flag. We tried looking a little south off the I-17 in Kachina and Munds Park. Houses were a little cheaper in Munds Park, but not by a whole lot. Not to mention it's a bit of a drive into Flag every day.

So, we bought a place in Queen Creek, rent a studio in Flag, and see each other about every 2-3 weeks. Now if I wasn't "happily" married then that might be an ideal situation for some, but that's not the case with us. It's not easy, but it is what it is.

The housing prices are dirt cheap in the Phoenix area and the jobs are a plenty. Flagstaff is a cool town and it's a total hippie town, which is kind of cool. Two cool breweries in Flag and some great snowboarding up at Snowbowl. Driving in Flag is a nightmare and you can usually get to places faster on a bike...when the roads aren't covered in snow & ice in the winter

Even the apartments are expensive in Flag. We rent a STUDIO for $700/month! There isn't really any wheeling in Flag and the best in AZ is in the PHX area: Table Mesa and Florence Junction.

Probably more information than you wanted to know, but your situation sounds similar so I thought I'd throw it out there on what we did.

rcurrier44 · 11-10-2008, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RubiconJeepGuy

Sounds familiar

Dam, that really sucks man.... I hope my girl gets into Missoula. I think we will both be a lot happier.

10-07-2008, 10:45 AM	#1 (permalink)
rcurrier44 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Member # 15404 Location: Hillsboro, OR Posts: 3,082	Tell me about Flagstaff... Well one of the places the fiancé is looking at for grad school is Flagstaff. What do you guys think about the area? Are there jobs? I am going to be graduating with a degree in MET right before we move so I am going to need to get a job ASAP to support us. How bad is the cost of living vs. the average income for the area? We live in Bozeman witch has gone from a college town to a Aspen type resort town. The pay scale is really low compared to the cost of housing and living here. And finally how is the wheeling Being the south west it might be a good excuse to build a tube buggy and ditch the cab truck At least we will be a little closer to moab and the hammers! Thanks ROB __________________ Life begins where the pavement ends!

10-07-2008, 07:49 PM	#2 (permalink)
lancetkenyon Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Member # 102531 Location: AZ Posts: 196	Not much wheeling other than FS roads in Flagstaff. You could drive 1 1/2 hrs south and be in rock HEAVEN though! NAU is a great party school, and the area is drop dead beautiful! It is not a very big town, and I would think jobs are relatively scarce, unless you want to work in an incense store(hippie town). One of my favorite areas in the state though. Lots of hunting available if you can beat the AZGFD draw process. I cannot seem to. __________________ Remember, I am the Instigator, NOT the leader! Yellow POS-AZ Undertakers Last edited by lancetkenyon; 10-07-2008 at 07:50 PM.

10-07-2008, 08:05 PM	#3 (permalink)
mrboyle Stay the Trail Join Date: Mar 2001 Member # 3937 Location: Fruita, CO Posts: 1,671	Haven't lived in AZ for a few years, but from what I learned growing up. Flagstaff is a decent town to visit, you just don't want to live there. Cost of living extreemly high for such a small town and jobs are fairly hard to come by. I knew a lot of people that drove 60+ miles south just to find jobs and still barely made enough money to continue living there. Like ^ said, wheeling is limited to FS roads and the cinder's (cinder pit turned into a rec area). __________________ Mike Boyle 1980 Toyota PU "Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not..." - Thomas Jefferson. Battlement Fab

10-29-2008, 03:45 PM	#8 (permalink)
RubiconJeepGuy Rock Unstacker Join Date: Oct 2007 Member # 101998 Location: Littleton, CO Posts: 222	Sounds familiar I'm in a similar situation. We relocated to AZ because my wife is going to grad school at NAU. The job market is pretty scarce in Flag and the closest place I could find a job is Mesa (basically Phoenix). So, we had to rent in one location and buy in another. After looking at the prices in flagstaff it was pretty obvious that we couldn't afford to buy anything there even though I think that would have been a better investment property with the college town of Flag. We tried looking a little south off the I-17 in Kachina and Munds Park. Houses were a little cheaper in Munds Park, but not by a whole lot. Not to mention it's a bit of a drive into Flag every day. So, we bought a place in Queen Creek, rent a studio in Flag, and see each other about every 2-3 weeks. Now if I wasn't "happily" married then that might be an ideal situation for some, but that's not the case with us. It's not easy, but it is what it is. The housing prices are dirt cheap in the Phoenix area and the jobs are a plenty. Flagstaff is a cool town and it's a total hippie town, which is kind of cool. Two cool breweries in Flag and some great snowboarding up at Snowbowl. Driving in Flag is a nightmare and you can usually get to places faster on a bike...when the roads aren't covered in snow & ice in the winter Even the apartments are expensive in Flag. We rent a STUDIO for $700/month! There isn't really any wheeling in Flag and the best in AZ is in the PHX area: Table Mesa and Florence Junction. Probably more information than you wanted to know, but your situation sounds similar so I thought I'd throw it out there on what we did. __________________ Shawn 02-05-15

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10-07-2008, 10:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
Jason4x4 Granite Guru Join Date: Dec 2007 Member # 104033 Location: Chandler, AZ Posts: 977	http://flagstaff4wheelers.com/ I know a guy that lives in Parks, He likes it, and wheels in his Back Yard...