Not that my town is that small (21,000, and actually they just voted to make it a city) but as far as how I manage, my job happens to be in this town so my commute is a 10-minute walk! Living in a smaller town and commuting to the city would be harder; I'm with those who say life is too short to waste two or three hours a day driving to and from work. On the other hand, city life certainly has its issues and isn't for everyone (including me). If you can live in a smaller town and work there too, that's probably ideal. Or if you have to work in the city, living just far enough outside to be less crowded etc. but still not more than a half hour commute.