The town is built on a hill overlooking the River Axe which heads towards the English Channel at Axmouth, and is in the East Devon local government district.

There was allegedly a castle in the town, as reported in the 1600s by Sir William Pole, and believed to have been close to the current Market Square.

[5] The later history of the town is very much linked to the carpet industry, started by Thomas Whitty at Court House near the church in 1755.

The celebrity chef and TV presenter Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has his River Cottage HQ at a 60-acre (24 ha) farm in the Axe valley.

His "River Cottage Canteen" was until 2021 located in the premises of the New Commercial Inn, owned by Palmer's Brewery of Bridport, and which housed the ballroom of the town.

Other villages within 5 miles (8 km) of Axminster include Chardstock, Colyford, Combpyne, Dalwood, Hawkchurch, Kilmington, Membury, Musbury, Raymond's Hill, Rousdon, Shute, Smallridge, Tytherleigh, Uplyme and Whitford.

The town has Cloakham Lawns, the Axe Valley Sports Centre and Flamingo Swimming Pool, a library, several churches and a museum of local history.

Axminster railway station is on the West of England Main Line that runs from Exeter via Salisbury to London Waterloo.

Axminster is served by AVMT Buses' service 885 to local towns & villages including Seaton, Beer & Colyton.

Stagecoach South West, The Buses of Somerset and First Hampshire & Dorset provide long-distance services to Exeter, Weymouth, Dorchester and Taunton.