A thin-film magnetic head includes a first magnetic layer, a flat, spiral-shaped coil, a toroidal-shaped insulating layer covering the coil, and a second magnetic layer touching the insulating layer and disposed to sandwich part of the coil between itself and the first magnetic layer. The second magnetic layer has a recessed portion that enters a space inside the insulating layer. In the recessed portion, the bottom surface of the second magnetic layer includes a first flat portion a part of which touches the top surface of the first magnetic layer, while the top surface of the second magnetic layer includes a second flat portion located in the space and substantially parallel to the first flat portion. In a cross section that divides each of the first and second magnetic layers into two equal portions, the second flat portion is 0.3 to 6 μm in length, and a distance from an edge of the interface between the top surface of the first magnetic layer and the first flat portion closer to the medium facing surface to an edge of the top surface of the first magnetic layer farther from the medium facing surface is 0.35 to 0.95 times the length of the first flat portion.