Its quite normal for it to be that way, winter is terribly long unless you actually make a thriving income during it.
I have lived here since 1992 and I dread the upcoming 6 months of winter.
But I refuse to travel outside the state, especially knowing that jobs are much much worse in the lower 48, my job pays well and I will stay with it even if it kills me, why?
Because there isn’t anything else any better, thats a fact. Not for me at my age.
You made me remember the story about the guy that retired in a place that had snow for the first time. He went from happy to crazy, LOL