Steer well clear of the area around sportscity unless you a) like drugs, scrotes and fights or b) are totally, completely and utterly skint. If you want to live within the M60 (the outer ringroad) then South Manchester is the usual area of choice. Chorlton is the haunt of the young, trendy, media-ish types (think Islington or somesuch). Houses are around £250k for a 3 bed terrace. Whalley Range is a bit more edgy, lots of alternative types living there. Used to be the location of the rich merchants in the early 1900s (until they invented the tram) so big houses with leafy roads.
Fallowfield is students. Avoid. Bits of Withington are really nice, but also infiltrated by students and nearby scrotes. West Didsbury has come on loads in recent years, lots of bars, pubs, restaurants. Vert trendy at the moment. East Didsbury is a bit more staid, still lots of good shops, bars, restaurants. House prices are the most expensive of the places I’ve mentioned. Outside the M60 Sale has some nice areas (Sale Moor NOT Northern Moor), Wythenshawe is to be avoided at all costs, Altrincham is nice but pricey and also quite a long way from Sportcity.
On that side of town if you want to commute you could look at Glossop, New Mills, Hayfield, Marple. All nice areas, most on the trainline, all near awesome biking in the Peaks. Alternatively Ramsbottom (North of Mcr up towards Rochdale) is nice but no trains (I think). Further out you’ve got Todmorden (home parish of the wonderful Singletrack) and Hebden Bridge. Both commutable by train in 45 mins or so and in the heart of more excellent mountainbiking.
Don’t know much about Ashton. The litle I know would suggest you’d want to keep going a bit further to Glossop or New Mills/Hayfield area..
Think that covers it. Good luck and if you get up here and want to do some biking in the vicinity, get in touch I’d be happy to ride with you 🙂