Some people like boring towns and what you consider things to do may not be of interest to others.

For example I have many friends in large metropolitan areas whose lives revolve around eating and going out. On the other hand I much prefer going on hikes to going out to dinner and bars. Also if I want a more cultured experience I have enough money to hop on a plane and go anywhere I want. Overall the smaller town with the lower cost of living works very well for me.