Spend some time making quality NPCs, they are what really brings a town to life. I've had all kinds of fun with this in the past.
You can make someone like 'Aunt B', an old lady who likes baking things, is generaly nice and will drop off apple pies and such to the characters if they're doing good things, or give them a piece of her mind if they do something that makes her unhappy. A barber is a must (like Floyd), the players need to get their hair cut and the barber shop is a great place for frank talk and city rumors. Local law enforcement can be fun to flesh out, you've got to have Andy and Barney (or someone well defined) on patrol. Local mechanics can come in handy. Remember families, and how they all connect and interact with each other in populations. What are the motivations of the adult populace? Are they trying to make thing better for their kids? Is there a local 'School Marm?' For some reason I've had a good result basing NPC on characters from shows like cheers (My players home city of Ostwald has a Norm and a Sam at the bar all the time, the mailman's name is Cliff...). I recommend changing them a little, and giving them different names, but you can look to some TV shows for examples. Like I said, I've had great success with it thus far. The trick is to get the characters/players to feel like a part of the community, and feel like the community is alive. Give them emotional attatchments, maybe a stray kitten or dog, whatever your players weakness is, it never fails.
Also looking to real world aquaintances for inspiration on NPCs can be helpful I find. Co workers or old friends can inspire some good (or bad) NPCs, especially when your group doesn't know them, and no one suspects where your inspiration for the NPC comes from.
Then you go on-line or to the bar and brag to all your GM buddies about how you put one over on your players... j/k
Have fun with it mate. That's the best advice I can give.
