Being raised in or near a small town is an experience that is different from the city. Everyone knows each other, everyone's business is their own, alliances form, dislikes can't be avoided. You see each other in the store, at the post office, and in church. The only way to avoid bumping into someone you know is to go to the nearest big city, only to find that other fellow-escapers are there, too, trying not to be noticed.
On the other hand, this sense of community means that people are looking out for you and will look after you in times of need. That to me was the most important advantage of living in a small, tight-knit community.
Here's a photo of small-town Saskatchewan. I took this photo of main street in Zenon Park in June 2003 and thought it represented many other small towns just like it, complete with a grain elevator in the background.
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