Middleton is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England, on the River Irk  south-southwest of Rochdale and north-northeast of Manchester city centre. In 2001, Middleton had a population of 45,580, reducing to 42,972 at the 2011 Census. It lies on the northern edge of Manchester, with Blackley to the south and Moston to the south east.