I grew up in a small town (3000) in the Texas Panhandle. The thing I remember most was that everyone was in your business. I probably had 5 moms, and at least 3 dads. You couldn’t pull any crap because your parents would know about it before you got home.
I also remember, even as a small boy, 8 or 9, having the rule “be home before the street lights come on”. I may go a full weekend without seeing my parents. Somebody’s mom would feed us, and someone would let us sleep over.
We also roamed the county. I used to hike down the railroad tracks for miles. No cell phone, no contact. If I would have been snakebit or kidnapped, no one would have known about it for days.
But I always seemed to make it home before the streetlights came on.
In small towns you can get help from complete strangers. And people do business on the “honor” system so all you need is your word.