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Data Catalogue: Census Geography & Products

EUROPE & WORLD CENSUS

Swiss communes shaded by income data

Outside of the UK, Census dates, questions, frequency etc vary in each country. In many countries the Census asks more questions on topics such as income (see illustration of Swiss income Census above). Not all data sets are listed, so contact us for more options.

Product Info: Europe & World Census >>>

UK CENSUS PRODUCTS

Mapped bar charts of Census occupational group

The last full UK Census was taken in 2001, but mid year estimates are made available each year to update some variables. MapMechanics offers a range of products combining information from the three Census Offices: England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Choose between a full pack of 240 variables or a topic pack focused on one aspect such as car ownership or occupational group. For advice regarding which product is best for your project, Contact MapMechanics.


STREET CENSUS PRODUCTS

This powerful street level Census is ideal for accurate catchment analysis and understanding market opportunity or likely distribution demand along a route.
Understanding UK Census Geography

OUTPUT AREA CENSUS
Output areas are the smallest unit of Census geography published by the national Census organisations. Initially devised from postcode geography, an output area will be equivalent to a group of unit postcodes as they were in 2001.

Census Output Area data is ideal for creating thematic mapping of small catchments and detailed trend analysis.

UK Example: 26UGGQ0005
Qty in UK: 223,060
Households (average):
100-125 (England & Wales)
50 (Scotland)
50 (Northern Ireland)


WARD CENSUS

Census wards with pie charts showing social class

Wards are subdivisions of local authorities used for election of local councilors.

1991 enumeration districts were designed to build directly into wards. However 2001 OAs are based on postcodes and so do not exactly aggregate into electoral wards. Each OA has been allocated to a ward (based on where the Census office determined the key postcode to lie). This allocation has been used to combine OAs into Census wards.

The Census polygons and associated data give a good overview of the trends between wards but will not match products such as Boundary-Line or other Ordnance Survey sources.

UK Example: 26UGGQ Sopwell
Qty in UK: 10,642
Households (average): 2,250
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POSTCODE SECTOR CENSUS

2001 Census travel to work data
Postcode geography is constantly changing as properties are built or demolished. MapMechanics recombines all the OA data to each new release of postcode sectors so that your map analysis will always have values for all the sectors in your boundary file. This is the most commonly used geography for those in commercial organisations analysing catchments, market penetration and balancing territories.
UK Example: RG40 2
Qty in UK: 9,487
Households (average): 2,500

LOCAL AUTHORITY CENSUS
Local government geography varies across the UK with some areas having a two-tier structure (a county authority with several district authorities) or a single tier structure (unitary authorities). Census wards build into unitary and district authorities and the boundaries of these Census LAs quite closely match Ordnance Survey products such as Boundary-Line. MapMechanics packs are not normally offered at this level, but can be created if required. A few Census counts at this level are provided free of charge with AA mapping and MapMechanics district boundary sets.
UK Example:
26UG (St Albans Unitary)
Qty in UK: 434
Households (average): 56,500
MapMechanics have used GeoConcept analysis software and detailed street data with address ranges and delivery point information to attach the correct proportion of the population in each OA to the relevant segment of the street network. No confidentiality thresholds are broken but this model provides a realistic indication of the number of any particular variable on an individual street.		 When a number of streets are combined it will provide a much more realistic result. than using raw Output Area level data. It is particularly useful when used in conjunction with drive-time analysis. For example, combine this street level Census data with GB speeds data and accurately calculate the number of adults within 15 minutes drive-time of your store, depot or service facility.

Example: Cherry Close, Honiton.
UK Qty: 2 million+ street links
Households (average): 12
Intuitive use of Census data represented at street level