Guide to census data
Census statistics are generally produced in tables. The 2001 Census tables are available in many forms but most are provided in three main sets: Key Statistics, Standard Tables and Census Area Statistics.
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Key Statistics (KS) are summary tables covering the most significant and requested counts
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Standard Tables (ST) are the most detailed of all census tables. They are not produced for small areas
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Census Area Statistics (CAS) are mostly versions of the Standard Tables for smaller areas, but containing less detail
Census tables are produced for a number of area types, or geographies, such as local government, health administration, parliamentary constituencies, postcode sectors, urban areas, and small neighbourhood areas.
The postcode unit is the smallest area for which results are available, but the range of counts available is very limited. In the 2001 Census, sets of adjacent postcodes were combined to form Output Areas (OAs) for which a wide range of statistics (KS and CAS) were produced. OAs are usually much smaller than, and nest within, wards. They provide the basic building block for 2001 Census statistics and current Neighbourhood Statistics data.
More recently, the Office for National Statistics grouped OAs into larger geographies, called Super Output Areas (SOAs). Some 2001 Census data are available for these areas. Other products and services include the provision of boundary data, geographic referencing files, specialist access to microdata, commissioned tables, data from previous censuses, and customer support.
Notes:
The three table types - Key Statistics, Standard Tables and Census Area Statistics - are broadly comparable to differently named datasets produced in previous censuses. Caution should be taken when comparing data from different censuses.
For more information on OAs and SOAs, see ONS Geography.
