Atherton is a town in the Wigan borough of Greater Manchester, United Kingdom. It has a long industrial past with a history of mining, mills, and nut and bolt manufacturing. The old name for Atherton was Chowbent (still used by locals). Historic buildings in Atherton include Alder House and Chowbent Chapel. Alder House is a typical example of a yeoman dwelling.

There are some fine examples of historic buildings in and around Atherton. Chowbent Chapel and St. Johns Church are fine examples. The town was built on and around seven brooks. There is a railway station with rail links to Wigan and Manchester. There is a frequent bus service to Bolton and Leigh linking Atherton to main shopping areas. Atherton has a small pedestrian shopping centre, with small independent traders, also free parking facilities. In recent years a development program has started in Atherton to revitalise the town. A trading estate and building development is already being established near the Howe Bridge area of the town. Overall the people are friendly and welcoming and show typical Northern hospitality.