It's true you can grow faster in or near the core, unless you're colonizing a Cryosleeper system that happens to be on the edge. In terms of growth rate, the biggest possible difference in terms of access is something like a -25% out on the edge of a normal vanilla map, to something like +42% in Duzahk. Which translates to something like +6 growth difference. Even a size 3 colony in a Cryosleeper system can hit +30 without much trouble, and +60 with a spare alpha core (with alpha core, the bonus is 20 times colony size).
I'll note even 3 unimpressive planets at the farthest point from the core, they can make over 1 million credits per month once they've been fully built up and reach size 6 (or over 370,000 with alpha administrators and no other items/cores).
Given colony size is a bigger factor in credits per month than starting accessibility, I'd typically rate colonizing a cryosleeper system that happens to have a gate as the best option (if you can find one), irregardless of distance from the core. A gate system close to the core would then be the next best.
As for map size, small or normal both seem to have plenty to do for a vanilla campaign, and missions are definitely closer on average in a small map. In terms of fun, I see no disadvantages to playing a vanilla campaign on a small map.
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