Astley is a settlement within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England, variously described as a suburb or a village. Astley lies on flat land to the northwest of the city of Manchester, and is crossed by the Bridgewater Canal and the A580 "East Lancashire Road". It forms a continuous urban area with neighbouring Tyldesley, and is equidistant from Wigan and Manchester city centre, both 8.3 miles (13.4 km) away. The Astley Mosley Common ward of Wigan MBC, which covers both settlements, had a population of 11,654 in the 2001 Census.