You're right to be concerned about that! I guess it would depend if any major corporations have planted facilities in or near small towns...you might be surprised...for example we've got manufacturing facilities for both Rockwell Collins and UTC within a 1.5 hour radius of where we live, both of them seriously out in the boondocks; and I remember the Husband talking about engineers on staff at the RC one (he worked there awhile). Our town is small, but it's right off the interstate and is kind of a hub for the rest of the county as far as medical, shopping etc so the opportunities here are better than your stereotypical one-horse town. So, best of both worlds really. The drawback is that if you pinned all your hopes on the one big place to work in/near a small town you wouldn't have many backup options if it didn't work out! That's where a bigger city could be a safer, but then again more expensive, bet. Hard to say! I think that when a place to live and work are the right fit for you, you'll feel at home and know it :) if Boulder feels right, there you are!

I forgot to mention earlier that I was impressed by how you caught that the realtor showed you the whole wrong piece of land. Seems slightly shady if you ask me. I wonder if he'll sucker some poor unsuspecting person into purchasing that lot after showing them around Forest Service property?! tsk tsk