Ashley is a small town in North Canterbury, in the South Island of New Zealand. It used to have a railway station on the Main North Line that runs through the village.

Ashley Rakahuri School is Ashley's only school, and was established in 1864.^[3] It is a state co-educational full primary, with 148 students (as of February 2024).^[4] The principal is Linda Horne.

Ashley is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement and covers 4.66 km² (1.80 sq mi).^[1] It had an estimated population of 400 as of June 2023,^[2] with a population density of 86 people per km². Ashley is part of the larger Ashley-Sefton statistical area.^[5]

Ashley had a population of 312 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 51 people (19.5%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 90 people (40.5%) since the 2006 census. There were 108 households, comprising 153 males and 159 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.96 males per female. The median age was 35.5 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 81 people (26.0%) aged under 15 years, 60 (19.2%) aged 15 to 29, 138 (44.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 36 (11.5%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 95.2% European/Pākehā, 8.7% Māori, 2.9% Asian, and 2.9% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 73.1% had no religion, 20.2% were Christian, 1.0% had Māori religious beliefs and 1.0% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 21 (9.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 63 (27.3%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $34,100, compared with $31,800 nationally. 39 people (16.9%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 129 (55.8%) people were employed full-time, 57 (24.7%) were part-time, and 12 (5.2%) were unemployed.^[7]

The average temperature in summer is 15.9 °C, and in winter is 7 °C.^[10]