I live in the Chicago area, so good public transit, lots of traffic, and fairly spread out. I work in downtown Chicago, and commute via train every day. This means I have a 2+ hour total commute per day, depending on train schedules, etc. I live in the suburbs, with a roommate and my two cats. The roommate is also a good friend, and her job, etc are in the suburbs. I have no friends or contacts in downtown.
I could move closer to work. There is an area within walking/biking distance, etc with good housing. However, to do so, I would either have to get rid of my cats (not going to happen under any circumstances what-so-ever), or put the cats in an environment where they would be miserable, which means they'd make me miserable. I would also be far away from all my friends. I'd have problems with what to do with my car.
I've done the cost-benefit analysis. I'm not moving. I would consider a new job, but I'm making a competitive rate (I checked), for a company with a good environment and benefits, doing something I enjoy. For now, I'll put up with the commute and get lots of reading time in.