30 Day Writing Challenge-Day 16

Something I miss? There’s a lot of things. But the one that comes to mind today is the town of Flagstaff, Arizona.

The San Francisco peaks as viewed from NAU campus in Flagstaff. Photo by me.

Fall colors, actual winters, summers that don’t hit 110 degrees?

Are you sure we’re still in Arizona?

Yup. Welcome to Northern Arizona.

Less Crowded

Flagstaff has a population of just over 70,000 people. Compare this to Phoenix, with over one million, and it’s easy to see why I can say it’s a small town. El Mirage, the town I live in now, has less people but we’re crammed into a smaller area. According to the census estimates there are over 3,500 people per square mile in El Mirage. Flagstaff clocks in at just over 400 people per square mile. CRAZY, right?

$$$$

Actually, housing prices are higher in Flagstaff. You’d struggle to find a home to buy that isn’t $400,000 where in Phoenix you’d be able to snag something at that price point without a problem. Apartments are going to run you less in Phoenix too.
So where do you save money?
Insurance. My car insurance more than doubled when I moved to Phoenix.
Gas. It costs more but I drove a LOT less. Flagstaff may be a large town, but when you live in the valley you commute across the entire valley. In Flag, I didn’t. I walked a lot.
Basically, cost of living is going to balance out even though it may not seem like it on the surface.