My own thoughts are that, for every 10 solar systems we find similar to ours (distance to heat), we find a bit of amoeba like life (basic cells) that can take environmental extremes. For every 1000 solar systems we find with the correct distances for heat, we find plants and less developed animals - fish, early evolution. For every 100,000 solar systems with these correct distances from heat, we find something more advanced. I guess if the distance is more exact - what life needs, goldilocks temps - we can find something intelligent.
Of course each area is at some evolutionary stage - come here in 1000 years - we may have killed ourselves off with our Taliban mentality. It may be more of a evolutionary lottery of intelligence than a temperature extreme problem. I also wonder if the travel energy and speeds are possible for life to find each other. I hope so.
But overall, relatively speaking, that makes for an infinite universe teeming with life.