Looking to buy in Cold Spring Harbor?

With a picturesque harbor serving as a backdrop, the community is popular for its waterside park and historic downtown, dotted in part with boutiques, antiques shops and eateries. "Cold Spring Harbor has so much character and history," says Pamela Doyle of Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty, noting it was once a whaling village.

The Cold Spring Harbor Main Street Association plans festive events throughout the year, such as sidewalk sales with live music, a Halloween dog parade and holiday celebrations, says Elena D'Agostino of Signature Premier Properties.

The Cold Spring Harbor Library and Environmental Center on Harbor Road have water views. "It's off the charts," D'Agostino says, citing its beauty and program offerings.

The community also is home to the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery and Aquarium, an environmental education center, and the Nature Conservancy's Uplands Farm Nature Sanctuary. The Dolan DNA Learning Center, which focuses on genetics education, is a unit of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (in neighboring Laurel Hollow).

As for housing, Colonials rule, though other styles can be found. While buyers can find 2- and 4-acre parcels, properties closer to the village tend to be smaller. The community has been attracting a lot of young families from the city, Doyle says.

Town: Huntington

Area: 3.7 square miles

ZIP code: 11724

Population: 5,202

Median age: 42.5

Median household income: $134,831

Median home value: $1,047,000*

LIRR time to NYC: 50 minutes to 65 minutes at peak

Monthly ticket: $325

School district: Cold Spring Harbor