Located 60 miles (97 km) northwest of New York City, and 90 miles (140 km) southwest of Albany, this quaint community is an historical and cultural hub of the Hudson Valley region and has grown in the last 30 years to become an outer-ring commuter suburb within the New York metropolitan area.

From the river the village extends to the southwest almost two miles (3.2 km), generally longer than it is wide, with a projecting area to the southeast along Goodwill Road.

Further to the east, some larger businesses are located near the former Wallkill Valley Railroad (WVRR) tracks, still used by Norfolk Southern as a freight spur.

There are some undeveloped areas at the northern and southern extremes of the village, the latter taking the form of actively farmed fields.

Much of its topography rises gently from the river, with little relief save the Academy Hill area on the east edge of downtown where the village hall is located, and a 455-foot (139 m) hill at the junction of Purple Martin Road and Cardinal Drive that is the highest point in the village, marked by a water tower.

Route 17K leads east to Newburgh and west to Bloomingburg, where it ends at NY 17, the future I-86.

The nearest access to the village is Exit 5, reached by taking Route 17K or Goodwill Road east to NY 208.

From here it is a six-mile drive to the New York State Thruway (Interstate 87), the nearest major north–south road.

The nearest passenger rail connection is the Campbell Hall station on Metro-North's Port Jervis Line, located on Watkins Road near State Route 207, approximately 7 miles southwest of Montgomery.

Many commuters also use Metro-North's Beacon station, 17 miles east of Montgomery, to travel to Midtown Manhattan.

Commercial passenger service is available at Stewart International Airport outside Newburgh, a short distance east via I-84.

The village used to suspend its open-container law for the day until some incidents arising from the heavy drinking made them reconsider.