Live in Stuttgart or in Renningen

Renningen is not far from Stuttgart and, given the shortage of housing in the city, you'd have to be some distance from the centre in any case (unless cost is no concern).
The difficulties of integration depend more on your direct personal environment (neighbours, colleagues) and your mindset, rather than the place. But if you depend on reaching an international or bilingual school or kindergarten, Renningen is probably out.
If you find a place near the S-Bahn (communter train) track in Stuttgart centre, you'd reach Renningen in slightly more than half an hour. (Don't plan on commuting by car, as the area between Stuttgart and Renningen is notoriously gridlocked!)
My wife is commuting to Boeblingen, which takes nearly an hour, and thus has time to read books and develop a knitting hobby.

Thanks beepi!

How do you evaluate Renningen as a town compared with Leonberg and Ditzingen, for example? for a small family first time in Germany.

In your personal experience, how do you compare "live close to work, save commute time and spend more time with your family" (Renningen) and "live close to city, increased commute, but more cultural integration or events."

I know it's more about different life styles. But some opinions would be helpful.

I never had a reason to visit Renningen, so cannot comment.
But Ditzingen or Leonberg are probably not more cosmopolitan, so your only alternative is Stuttgart.

When I came with my foreign wife (no family then) to the said job in Boeblingen, a quick look at the town convinced me that, for us, the only choice is Stuttgart. But with family, things might be different - you won't find wide meadows where kids can roam around freely and farms with animals to touch and feel anywhere in the city. Also, depending on background and lifestyle, some people might prefer a simpler, quieter life. And, last not least, there's the accommodation availability and cost issue.

I recommend you arrange temporary accommodation for two to three months (you need that long anyway to find a permanent place) and then have a thorough look around to evaluate both places.

Thanks, beppi!

Strange, many people have the opposite situation. They have their job in a big city like Stuttgart but consider living in a smaller community. It would seem strange to add the inconvenience of having to commute 5 days a week back and forth to work just for more vibrancy. Seriously, most people come home from work and just relax rather than go out to a theater or whatever. And one can do that on the weekend. Smaller communities usually offer cheaper accommodation and are quieter for families with children. This would depend on your life style. For someone with kids, it doesn’t make much sense. For someone who is single and who likes to go out often during the week then maybe.

But I would not worry about integrating in Renningen. Being so close to Stuttgart means the people are not so backwards or afraid of foreigners like in a rural village.

Beppi mentioned that Stuttgart does have bilingual schools options. This might be important for say people staying just for a year or two and leaving. Otherwise, one must consider that they will cost a lot and within a year, most kids should be speaking German anyway. I’ve been to the International School in Stuttgart-Degerloch for example. Seems like a good place but it cost well over 1000 Euros per month and gets even more expensive the higher the class. Public schools are usually good - and always free.

Great answer, Tomin. Thanks a lot!