Despite the growing rate of quantitative research into commuting behavior among varying demographic groups, qualitative research in commuting behavior remains relatively rare. This paper examines commuting behavior among Cornell University employees in Ithaca, New York, a university-dominated labor market characterized by unaffordable housing, a highly stratified workforce, and an expansive commuting base. Using in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 16 Cornell faculty, administrators, and staff, this study investigates how income, gender, family structure, and transportation access shape residential location choices and commute preferences. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a deductive coding framework derived from the commuting literature, with subthemes developed inductively from participant narratives. Contrary to the conventional quantitative finding that higher income predicts longer commutes, this study finds the inverse pattern: higher earners live closest to campus, while lower-income employees commute from more distant, affordable communities. Gender, despite being a robust predictor of commute length in the broader literature, produced no detectable effect in this sample. Family structure and transportation access emerged as equally or more consequential, with school districts, caregiving flexibility, and vehicle reliability emerging as primary drivers of residential location decisions. These findings carry direct implications for Cornell's transportation and housing policy. The current parking system disproportionately benefits the highest earners, who already live closest to campus. Cornell should restructure parking access to prioritize demonstrated commuting need, expand hybrid flexibility where role constraints permit, and engage more directly with regional housing affordability initiatives.