I don't really like the title.  It is more about selecting a commuting bike.

A cyclocross can handle gravel and road hazards and is still built for speed. 
On the open road cyclocross does not give up much. For the same price level bike cyclosross would be barely heavier, little wider, and a little taller.  It would also be geared a little lower.

If you could put 32mm tires on the road bike it would have very little advantage over a cyclocross with 32 mm tires.  

I commute on a cyclocross with 35 mm tires and have a second set of wheels with 28 mm tires to ride it as a road bike.

A light touring bike is also an option.

With disc brakes coming out on road bikes you can push up into 28 and 30 mm tires on some road bikes.