I completely agree re: long commutes. But I also don't care for the suburbs, which is why I used to commute from Berkeley to my first job in the bay, in Newark.

Remember that commute mode can make a HUGE difference. Crawling along asphalt is probably about the least fun method.

I rode Bart counter-commute to Fremont and then a bicycle the last 4 miles. I will say, if you want to stick out as an oddball in that part of the bay taking Bart and riding a recumbent to work will do the trick. It wasn't a good culture fit, to say the least.

After that, I worked in El Segundo and lived in Santa Monica. My commute was 26 miles (round trip) of gorgeous beach bike riding, which took around 90-100 minutes a day door to door (recumbents are quick!) I was in the best shape of my life, and always loved seeing bonfires, beach goers, drum circles, and once a pod of dolphins jumping out of the water alongside me as I rode down a 12 foot wide strip of land by the Marina.

Anyway, just trying to point out that the calculation is complex and depends on the person.