As a 15 year resident of Montgomery (I'm 19), I could probably tell you just about anything you would want to know about this area of the Hudson Valley.
Montgomery is in Orange County.
Orange County has three cities: Middletown, Newburgh, Port Jervis, and is considered to be in the downstate region of New York - we (in Montgomery, specifically) are about 1.5 hours from NYC via train or car - a substantial portion of Orange Counties' population does the NYC commute five days a week (this plays into the real estate). This wasn't necessarily the case going back 10 years or so - this area saw a significant population spike and began to grow at an impressive rate following September 11th. We are also in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains to the Northwest.
Montgomery is a village located in the town of Montgomery. The town of Montgomery includes the Village of Montgomery, the Village of Maybrook, and the Village of Walden. The Village of Montgomery is 10 miles West North West of Newburgh and 10 miles Northeast of Middletown. There is little crime to speak of in the Village of Montgomery but more in both Walden and Maybrook. We are friendly here - most people know one another. Nice little downtown area with antique shops, a few delis, a few pizzerias, a bank, and a river-front park. We also have a major supermarket (Shoprite), a pharmacy (both in the village and in the Montgomery Towne Square), five gas stations, a Dunkin Donuts, a McDonalds, a Burger King, a Subway, a Walgreens, and a hotel that is the process of being built. Montgomery has its own exit off the major West-East roadway (Route 84). 84 connects Montgomery to Pennsylvania to the west (about 36 miles) and Connecticut to the East (about 45 miles). New York's major North-South roadway, the New York State Thruway is 8 miles East of Montgomery in Newburgh. The Thruway, Interstate 87, connects the Hudson Valley to Rockland County, New Jersey (30 miles South of Newburgh), Westchester County, and New York City (59 miles Southeast of Newburgh).
It has been a pleasure to grow up here. I love the easy access to the NYC and to the rural and mountains areas to our North. Locally, Middletown and Newburgh provide all the shopping that a person could ask for. I would reccommend Montgomery to anyone. Problem is, you won't be getting much of anything for $450 a month here. A few weeks ago I heard of two-bedroom Condo being rented out for $1,100. You'll be hardpressed to find anything (in the VoM) for less than $1000. Things will be a bit cheaper in Maybrook and Walden (potentially as low as about $800) but keep in mind that both of these villages are not as nice as Montgomery. All three (Montgomery, Maybrook, and Walden) are approximately the same distance from Newburgh.
As for your concern with Newburgh: Lets me first say that Newburgh has two parts - the town and the city. The town is generally safe and contains the shopping strip. The city has one of (if not the highest?) homicide rate in the state. It can be quite dangerous. I tend to stay away from it. Hopefully a City of Newburgh resident can chime in on it to provide you with further information, but I would certainly hope that your husband would not be in the City of Newburgh at night.
If you decide to move to the NYC Metropolitan Region, expect a culture shock. We are diverse. The New York Metro is a hustle-bustle place (to say the least), and you will see the craziest drivers that you have ever seen.
Its a fun place to live. Lots of entertainment, good food, and options. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else other than perhaps the LA Metro.
Hope I helped. Please don't hesitate to ask more!
