Aldridge is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall in the West Midlands, England. It was historically a village, which was part of Staffordshire until 1974. The town is three miles (five kilometres) from Brownhills, five miles (eight kilometres) from Walsall, six miles (ten kilometres) from Sutton Coldfield and seven miles (eleven kilometres) from Lichfield. The town is also the second-largest town in the Walsall Borough (by population, after Walsall).

The name "Aldridge" is derived from the Anglo-Saxon alr or alre + wīc meaning 'alder (tree) + village'. Another suggestion is that the name "Aldridge" means "outlying farm among alder-trees", from the Old English alor and wīc. It was recorded as Alrewic in the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was valued at 15 shillings and had a population of seven households; the Lord was Robert (d'Oilly) and the tenant-in-chief was William son of Ansculf. The name was recorded as Alrewich and Allerwych in the 12th century.

Aldridge began as a small agricultural settlement, with farming being the most common occupation up until the 19th century.

In the 1800s, Aldridge became an industrial town with coal mines and lime kilns. The coal and clay in the area prompted many to set up collieries and brickworks. Aldridge clay is especially useful in the manufacture of blue bricks. The 1881 census shows that the mines and brickworks were major employers. Because the coal and clay beneath the eastern side of Aldridge (towards Stonnall) is located much deeper under the surface, extraction of this coal and clay would not have been economically viable. As a result, farms continued to dominate the eastern part, though a sand quarry was set up and remains on Birch Lane.

Nineteenth and early twentieth century Ordnance Survey maps show an area named Pool Green to the south of Aldridge, across the railway line from Aldridge railway station. A large pool was drained and filled in when the railway line was constructed. Pool Green may have been the site of a Saxon settlement, though no finds have been reported and the area has since been redeveloped.

During the 20th century, modern shops were built in the centre of Aldridge, as well as council buildings. During the Second World War, the small Aldridge Airport was used for military planes. It was subsequently used for passenger services for a time.

Aldridge became an urban district in Staffordshire in 1934. As well as the parish of Aldridge the urban district contained the parishes of Great Barr, Pelsall and Rushall. Other villages within the district included Walsall Wood, Clayhanger and Streetly. These areas began to grow substantially with private house buildings from the 1930s, mostly bought by families relocating from the central areas of Walsall.

The urban district of Aldridge merged with Brownhills on 1 April 1966 to form Aldridge-Brownhills, parts also went to the County Borough of West Bromwich, Lichfield Rural District, Cannock Urban District, the County Borough of Walsall and the County Borough of Birmingham. On 1 April 1966 the parish was also abolished to form "Aldridge Brownhills", parts also went to Birmingham, Shenstone, Walsall and West Bromwich. In 1961 the parish had a population of 51,046. It then became part of an expanded Metropolitan Borough of Walsall in 1974.