Emerging　research　highlights　the　crucial　role　of　the　suburban　older　population　as　a　burgeoning　population　facing　both　social　and　physical　constraints　on　mobility.　However,　the　extent　to　which　the　variance　in　the　built　environment　can　encourage　older　adults　to　travel　actively　across　various　suburban　communities　remains　ambiguous.　This　study　identifies　three　distinct　community　types　(i.e.,　inner-suburban,　suburban　center,　and　outer-suburban)　based　on　specific　social　and　morphological　factors　impacting　Xiamen,　China.　It　employs　coarsened　exact　matching　(CEM),　an　innovative　matching　procedure,　to　estimate　causal　inference　regarding　older　adults＇　responsiveness　to　the　built　environment　across　different　communities　compared　with　propensity　score　matching　(PSM).　The　results　reveal　nonequilibrium　effects　of　built　environments　across　unevenly　developed　or　suburbanized　communities.　Residents　of　suburban　centers　exhibit　the　highest　levels　of　active　travel　engagement,　with　the　built　environment　playing　a　significant　role.　This　influence,　driven　by　individual　life　choices,　is　particularly　impactful　in　shaping　sustainable　urban　forms　within　both　inner　and　outer　suburban　cohorts.　These　findings　can　provide　valuable　insights　for　decision-makers,　guiding　the　development　of　more　nuanced　and　regionally　inclusive　intervention　strategies,　thereby　accommodating　disparities　among　suburban　subareas.