Question for anyone that lives in/near Flagstaff, AZ

[AlbatrossCafe]

I currently live in Seattle, WA with my parents (lol) working as a software dev. By the end of the year I should have about $25k saved. I am poised to move as the house prices here are a joke (~$520k median house price...? WTF?), traffic is 4th worst in the nation, and more people are swarming here like flies on ****. I can't even get away and hike anymore because walking some of my favorite trails is like walking downtown Seattle nowadays.
 
I like the Southwest & in particular I LOVE the Sedona, AZ area. Most of the SW is too hot but northern Arizona and especially Flagstaff sounds like a great area as it gets snow but is not far away from the warm if you want it.
 
My questions are for anyone who lives in or around Flagstaff:
 
[ol type=decimal][*]What is your favorite & least favorite part of the area?
[*]I know it can get pretty cold in the winter, but other than that is there a good riding season? How much does it rain?
[*]How big is the city? I have been to Sedona but never Flagstaff itself.[*]Anyone work a tech job there?[/ol]

[sorkyah]

Flagstaff is very much a small college town. very similar to sedona... minus the red rocks
45k pop over summer
65k during school year
 
Tech jobs are few and far between
 

[12ival]

I've been to flagstaff a few times. Its a 3-4 hour drive from Vegas. During the summer, the weather was great. it was like 75 when i went. Sedona is great and the grand canyon is not that far away. zion national park is about 3 hours away.

[so1102]

If you want many tech jobs and a nice riding season, perhaps the valley (Phoenix area) is a better bet -- and you can get away to the mountains to cool off, ski, etc when you want. And it is really only "too hot" 3 months out of the year in the dead of summer (June, July, August), so our riding season is inverted (unless you are hardcore and willing to ride in full gear in 110+ temps, which I am not)

[Jeckler]

And it is really only "too hot" 3 months out of the year in the dead of summer (June, July, August), so our riding season is inverted (unless you are hardcore and willing to ride in full gear in 110+ temps, which I am not)

Or you ride at 5AM, then it's only 90.

[AlbatrossCafe]

If you want many tech jobs and a nice riding season, perhaps the valley (Phoenix area) is a better bet -- and you can get away to the mountains to cool off, ski, etc when you want. And it is really only "too hot" 3 months out of the year in the dead of summer (June, July, August), so our riding season is inverted (unless you are hardcore and willing to ride in full gear in 110+ temps, which I am not)

I have visited Phoenix quite a bit for Mariners Spring Training over the years and TBH I am not really a fan... Phoenix is like 1 HUMONGOUS suburb and doens't seem to have a lot of substance. And 100+ is a bit much for me. Unless I worked the nightshift and got to sleep through the high heat it would kill my motivation to do anything. I am even a ride in all seasons kind of guy here in WA but I think 110 would even be a bit much for me. 
I am basically looking for the opposite of what you described - I would rather live in the mountains and "get away to Phoenix to warm up, swim, etc. when i want" lol. Maybe Flagstaff isn't quite the place, but I know the area around there is usually 10-20 degrees cooler than Phoenix which is why it was appealing. I'd like to be within a few hours of Sedona ideally. Not sure what options even exist... I might just be dreaming!
 

[so1102]

If you want many tech jobs and a nice riding season, perhaps the valley (Phoenix area) is a better bet -- and you can get away to the mountains to cool off, ski, etc when you want. And it is really only "too hot" 3 months out of the year in the dead of summer (June, July, August), so our riding season is inverted (unless you are hardcore and willing to ride in full gear in 110+ temps, which I am not)

I have visited Phoenix quite a bit for Mariners Spring Training over the years and TBH I am not really a fan... Phoenix is like 1 HUMONGOUS suburb and doens't seem to have a lot of substance. And 100+ is a bit much for me. Unless I worked the nightshift and got to sleep through the high heat it would kill my motivation to do anything. I am even a ride in all seasons kind of guy here in WA but I think 110 would even be a bit much for me. 
I am basically looking for the opposite of what you described - I would rather live in the mountains and "get away to Phoenix to warm up, swim, etc. when i want" lol. Maybe Flagstaff isn't quite the place, but I know the area around there is usually 10-20 degrees cooler than Phoenix which is why it was appealing. I'd like to be within a few hours of Sedona ideally. Not sure what options even exist... I might just be dreaming!

Don't get me wrong, those places (Flag and Sedona) are beautiful (and you should maybe check out Prescott too), but it may be challenging to find a tech job unless you luck into one that allows you to telecommute almost exclusively.