The administrative centre of the municipality is the urban village of Kleppestø on the southeastern shore of the island of Askøy.

[4][5] Since the opening of the Askøy Bridge connecting it to the mainland of Bergen in 1992, the population has increased rapidly.

Most of the population growth is due to migration from Bergen and the surrounding districts of Nordhordland and Midhordland.

In 1879, a small area of the neighboring municipality of Fana (population: 18) was transferred to Askøen.

On 1 January 1904, a small area near the village of Hanevik (population: 32) was transferred from Askøen to the neighboring municipality of Alversund.

On 3 November 1917, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Askøy, removing the definite form ending -en.

The blazon is "Argent, an ash tree on an island vert" (Norwegian: Eit grønt asketre på ei øy mot botn i sølv).

Askøy Fotballklub is an association football club, formed in 1999 by the merger of Florvåg Idrettsforening and Kleppestø Fotball.

The festival, first held in August 2001, attracts a large number of minor Norwegian bands.

In the village of Strusshamn are old wooden houses, dating back to the early 19th century.

The municipality is surrounded by three fjords: Hjeltefjorden to the west and north, Byfjorden to the east, and Herdlefjorden to the northeast.

Some of the other notable settlements in Askøy include Abbedisso, Erdal, Hanevik, Kleppestø, Skjelviki, and Tveitevåg.

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Askøy is made up of 35 representatives that are elected to four year terms.

The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Askøy houses some big industrial facilities such as Hanøytangen, Mjølkeviksvarden, and Storebotn.