When you move to said small town and discover that being part of the in group depends on not straying from norms, going to the same church as everyone else, etc. you start to second guess it.
I don't mind having to conform to some norms. I would even go so far as to argue that close-knit communities are impossible to maintain over long time horizons without these gatekeeping attitudes and insider values that outsiders must conform to.
Sure, but some things are harder to get used to than others. People opening conversations by complaining about environmental protections is getting old.