In my experience yes, most people do touch type, and no, most people don't use right control much, if at all. The right control key on many keyboards is already so uncomfortable to reach that even single-hand chording with the left hand feels better. Using caps lock as the control key makes it even easier to completely avoid the right control key.

However, I have also seen mention of people remapping return to the right control key, then doing who knows that to still be able to press return.

The cheapest solution is the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic 4000 keyboard <$40 US with symmetric keys. For laptops, most Thinkpads have symmetric keys. Others, such as Dell Precisions have left and right control and alt keys, but they are not symmetric...better than one though.

Speaking of touch typing, the TrackPoint between g and h is also helpful. Thinkpads and Dell Precisions typically have one. Some Toshiba's also. Though this sort of assumes that keyboard is a primary driver for a laptop purchase.

I don't understand your questions. What would touch typing have to do with it?

And you can still use right control when typing a letter with the left hand. When pressing control-<right-hand-letter> you have less stretching. I've subconsciously over time found that I mostly do single-handed cording with control-<left-hand-letter> though since the control location is so much more convenient than the shift location (for me). Your milage may vary!

While I certainly do touchtype, I never taught my right hand to contort itself to reach control or shift. I occasionally press right alt with my thumb, but that's about it.

Mapping caps to control makes my keyboard a bit more usable, but it is still fundamentally flawed in a variety of ways.

That is probably one of the reasons ergodox (or similar) is so appealing to me.