I have literally begged my husband for years to move to Alaska. His only reason for refusing is the cold.
He’s originally from E. Texas and grew up in a very small town with the exact type of people you describe. He’d prefer to move back there - to me it’s WAY too hot!!!
I kid him I’ll just move to Alaska and he can come visit during the summer :-)
For the last couple of years during the latter part of winter when even I get tired of it I have been cruising the for sale sections of Craigslist in places like around the Tampa Bay Fl. and Houston for older large yachts like over 40’ just to live aboard during the winter, I have seen many affordable ones, some were so desperate the boats were literally being given away.
I was also looking at Hawaii but I have some doubts about living there in the winter, I keep getting bad vibes about that place. I lived in Houston for 4 years, I know it pretty good, I like Florida but it costs more in dock rental plus the fact of more storms there. I would even slightly consider California in the Delta but unfortunately its the sad fact its California.
So I can give you an answer, many Alaskans have another place they go to in the winter, most do Hawaii, many have a home in Oregon or Arizona. I am almost about to seriously doing something, I moved here in 1992, back in 2004 I rented a vacation home in Orlando for a month, that was a blast, kinda expensive though and I haven’t done it since.