“I think everyone should have that exposure to different cultures,” said Ms. Toubin, who teaches in a neighboring school district.

Gina Bertolino, 54, grew up in Suffern and lived in Orange County, N.Y., before returning in 2002 because she wanted to raise her sons, now 20 and 21, in the village.

“I wanted a place for my kids to be able to jump on their bikes and go downtown,” said Ms. Bertolino, who owns Mystic Images Salon on Lafayette Avenue. Her husband, Joseph Bertolino, 61, works in the village as a construction administrator for an architect.

Mike Curley, 58, a retired New York City firefighter, owns Curley’s Corner, a restaurant and bar on Orange Avenue, and has lived in Suffern since he was 11. Mr. Curley said he appreciates the neighborly spirit, as well as the proximity to the train and highways.

As he put it, “Suffern has a small-town feel with big-city access.”

What You’ll Find

Suffern is right on the New York-New Jersey border, near Harriman State Park, and about 35 miles northwest of Times Square.

Near the shopping district, houses built before World War II line quiet streets. Other neighborhoods have homes built in the postwar period.

Image 21 CLAREMONT LANE | A three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom house, built in 1965 on 0.41 acres, listed for $450,000. 914-290-5881 Credit... Katherine Marks for The New York Times

The village has a number of townhouses, condos and co-ops, including units in two midcentury garden complexes, Stonegate Homes at Suffern and Bon Aire Park.