Unique among Orange County towns, Greenville has neither cities nor villages, and most of the communities are small clusters of houses (Residents of the town get their mail through the Port Jervis or Middletown post office). There is periodic talk of naming Greenville as a hamlet, near Exit 2 off Interstate Highway 84, which features the town's firehouse, a deli and a few other businesses.

The oldest settlement in Greenville is Smiths Corners, named after Elijah Smith, and founded at the end of the Revolutionary War.when Bushville was still an important community in the town.The town was first established in 1750 as semi-Colonial. Building began again 1754 then ceased when money from the Crown was revoked. building did not begin again until the late 1790s. Greenville historical has been considered located in Black foote/Cherokee territory though an American semi-colonial town.

Communities and locations in Greenville:

• Bushville – A hamlet on US-6, east of Greenville village.
• Greenville (formerly "Minisink") – The hamlet of Greenville is located south of Smiths Corners and the US-6 and Interstate 84 junction.
• Lake Hathorne – A small lake north of Smiths Corners.
• Logtown – A hamlet southeast of Greenville village.
• Smiths Corners – A hamlet near the intersection of Interstate 84 and US-6.