House hunters seeking the perfect combination of affordability and livability should look no further than Lynchburg, Virginia, which was named the best hidden gem housing market in the United States. The second-best hidden gem housing market was North Tonawanda, New York, which sits just north of Buffalo. The upstate New York city similarly boasted a high livability score of 86 and average home values of just over $275,000, more than $200,000 below the state average. The city, which sits just south of Modesto, was still considered a hidden gem despite its lower livability score of just 75. And while Merced's average home value was high at $400,681, it nonetheless remains much more affordable than the state average of $798,043.