Ever since I was a little kid, the battle between the two towns has influenced our very school to this day. People always are constantly fighting over which town is better and honestly… Westminster is superior. There are countless reasons why: from taxes to geography, to just the overall town, but here’s why Westminster is the better town. 

Cushing Academy is a huge reason why Westminster may be more viable to the average consumer. No hate for Cushing Academy whatsoever;  it is a wonderful school, but because it’s a private school, the residents of the town have to pay higher taxes. According to Heather M. Budrewicz, Town administrator for Ashburnham, Massachusetts the FY18  tax rate in Ashburnham was 23.4, much higher than Westminster FY18 which was 18.55, a trend that I’m sure followed from 2019 to 2020 as well. Even though it may not seem like a lot for certain people, that money can be translated into other things as well. Taxes in Ashburnham seem to be significantly higher; therefore, residents may not live as comfortably in Ashburnham as they would in Westminster. 

The placement of towns plays an enormous part in which town is better. Since Ashburnham is not directly off a major highway, it makes it quite difficult to get around the surrounding towns. On the other hand, Westminster’s proximity to Route 2, makes it very simple to get on the highway and be on your way to any locale. Mount Wachusett, a major tourist attraction for fellow skiers, fairgoers, and hikers is based in the town of Westminster and NOT Ashburnham. Stores and different businesses are more likely to place themselves in a town like Westminster due to the proximity of the highway; therefore, placement of the town plays a huge role in why Westminster is superior to Ashburnham.

Westminster has much to offer in many different ways being the small town it is. Our town provides superb cuisine, with restaurants like The Old Mill, The Blueprint, The Wachusett Brewery, and different pizza places along with a multitude of seafood places and a wonderful Chinese restaurant. Westminster has a wonderful sense of community with events like the Cracker Barrel Festival, Neighbors Helping Neighbors, and the Memorial Day Parade, all annual events. Things like this make living in this town SO much better. The overall sense of the town and the community is like no other. Walking downtown Westminster is completely different and unlike Ashburnham. Westminster has always been a lively and vibrant town, every single time I drive downtown, kids are playing basketball outside, friends and couples are taking a stroll down the main street and people are having picnics on Academy Hill. While Ashburnham, it’s not nearly as vibrant, there are many fewer people walking around and frankly, it just seems bare and plain.

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Ashburnham does have an amazing pizza place in Brothers Pizza and it has two schools but other than that, Westminster is clearly the better place. If you just take a second to realize what the two towns have to offer for your own personal benefit and for your family, Westminster is clearly the best option for most people. Ashburnham, being the town it is, does not have as much to it as Westminster, and because of the reasons stated above, Westminster is clearly better than Ashburnham.