According to two recent website articles, Flagstaff is both the number one “up and coming” city in the United State – and apparently is totally chill about it.
The articles, featured in the financial planning website SmartAsset.com and the brand new travel site AmericaUnraveled.com, used different methodology, but both placed Flagstaff at or near the top of their assessments.
The city was sixth in Smart Assets 2016 review of the “Least-Stressed Cities in America.” The site crunched key statistics – rates of physical activity, length of work commutes, divorce rates, housing costs, and the number of entertainment venues per 1,000 businesses – to determine the most laid-back locations.
“Flagstaff residents have the fourth-shortest commutes of any of the 500 cities in our study, at just 13.6 minutes,” the article noted. “The economy hums along with a mix of tourism, education, government, scientific, high-tech and manufacturing jobs.”
The sunny winters didn’t hurt either, according to the article.
The least stressed city was Boulder, Colo. Meanwhile, at the other end of the list, the states of Florida and New Jersey did not fare well; between them, they had six of the bottom 10 cities.
America Unraveled’s article focused more on Flagstaff’s strategic location, educational focus and diverse cultural offerings as prime reasons for naming it the #1 “Up & Coming” American city.
It also talked about the natural beauty of the area, from the Ponderosa pine forest to the San Francisco Peaks.
“Given this prime location,” said Alan Lee, the author, “It is no wonder that more and more people are heading to Flagstaff, thus making it one of the United States’ most up-and-coming cities.”
We at ECONA are always pleased to share these articles because they bolster the reputation of Flagstaff and share with the world what we have known for a long time – our region is a great place to start a business, raise a family, and build a life.
Sincerely,
John Stigmon
ECONA President & CEO