Melody and Jeremiah McKay had never heard of Carmel, Ind., before they read about it online.

At the time, they were living in a roughly 1,000-square-foot home in Los Angeles County with their four children, and looking for a more affordable area. They filled out an online survey that recommended several places around the country, including Indiana’s Hamilton County, about 30 miles north of Indianapolis. When the McKays googled the area, they found a lot of press on the small city of Carmel, said Jeremiah, 39, a 3D artist.