That may depend on your definition, but I don’t really want to get drawn into comparisons, as it only ruffles feathers. But that there are stark, lifeless places that seem to have little going for them is pretty self-evident. Whether you would wish to apply the term “souless” to them is academic. California has many good things going for it, but housing can be expensive. There are many other places that have good things going for them that can be less (or more) expensive. Many factors determine home prices, and fortunately we have a choice if we find some of those factors unpalatable.