Schools have both. Highest rates of bike riding are always college towns. It's just that schools also have commuter students, who might live nearby to family in

Schools have both. Highest rates of bike riding are always college towns. It's just that schools also have commuter students, who might live nearby to family in car range, at which point they save money hand over fist even with the costs of car ownership by not paying thousands on dorms or off campus apartments. Maybe apartment prices are super inflated near the school too, and living a 45 min drive out gets you something you can afford to rent. A lot of these college towns are in the middle of nowhere too, the college is the major employer and source of all activity, so transit is highly limited just like it would be for a european town in the middle of nowhere with maybe 10k people living year round in it.