I know a student who commuted to college almost an hour each way, and worked as an EMT on weekends and summers to pay for tuition/fees at an instate public, books, gas.
I also know a student who could have attended a school in his hometown for very little money because he would have received merit and Pell and state grant to cover almost all costs.
Both would not have living expenses, since they were living at home, and both had a car already with money earned during high school.
But if they would have had rent/food/utilities to pay as well, that would have been very difficult without family help.