Small town is used when referring to small places, usually in the United States, where people are friendly, honest,and polite, or to the people there. Small town is also sometimes used to suggest that someone has old-fashioned ideas.
[mainly US]
...an idealized small-town America of neat, middle-class homes.
The little small-town banks were traditionally very frightened that Wall Street wouldcome to dominate the whole country.
The guy in charge was the typical smalltown tyrant.
small town in British English
(smɔːl taʊn)
noun
US
a small place, usually in the United States, where people are friendly, honest, and polite
small-town in British English
(ˌsmɔːlˈtaʊn)
adjective
US
of or relating to a small town, usually characterized as having people who are friendly, honest, polite, and oftenold-fashioned
an idealized small-town America of neat, middle-class homes
The little small-town banks were traditionally very frightened that Wall Street wouldcome to dominate the whole country.
The guy in charge was the typical small-town tyrant.
small-town in American English
(smɔlˌtaʊn)
US
adjective
of or characteristic of a small town; provincial, unsophisticated, etc.
Examples of 'small town' in a sentence
small town
Having a shop in a small town means that people look to me for style advice.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The kind of small town people don't leave.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Specifically, people from the small town of Tavistock.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
If you're from a small town people don't like to see other people doing well.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Also, in small towns, the effectiveness of a pastor sometimes is determined by who gets the "best prospects.
Christianity Today (2000)
Whether in the city, a small town or the country, the hazard of potential violence appears in many different forms.
Stanko, Elizabeth Everyday Violence (1990)
We chatted for a while about small-town life.
Christianity Today (2000)
The drama depicts their small-town life on Tyneside as it is transformed by the conflict.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Life in small-town America brings its challenges.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
But there is also a sweetness to the film in its description of small-town American life.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
This small-town American romance comes with a warning.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
No one does American small-town evil more chillingly.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
A powerful glimpse of life in small-town America.
The Sun (2006)
There is something meditative and naturalistic about it, not least the depictions of the sea and nature and the slow humdrum ordinariness of small-town life.