20 minutes to work
30 minutes back home
Total distance of ~18-21 miles each way depending upon the route I take.
The absolute most I'd be willing to put up with on a daily basis (in my current city anyway) would be about 40 minutes each way, but I'd have to be well compensated for that. I prefer living in the suburbs. It's where I grew up and with the exception of my office, all the shopping, restaurants and entertainment options you need are actually out here and not downtown so it's much more convenient in the non-work world. If I was single I'd probably live closer in. But with a wife and us having kids in the next year or two I'd much rather be living where we currently do since we have a nice big house on a big yard in a nicely landscaped neighborhood with a park situated just behind it for the kids to play in. I don't think I would ever willingly go back to apartment/urban life again.