You have things backwards. To "be in a reasonable commuting distance from work" you must stay far from those cities. Well, assuming you want a family. Commuting

You have things backwards. To "be in a reasonable commuting distance from work" you must stay far from those cities. Well, assuming you want a family. Commuting into SF from some place in the central valley is not reasonable. Pick the middle of Florida's east coast though, and you could afford a big house (perhaps half acre, 4 bedroom) within a mile of work. Yes, there are jobs.