Middle Layer Super Output Areas: 2011 Boundaries for England and Wales

England and Wales digital vector boundaries for Middle Layer Super Output Areas as of 31 December 2011. The dataset contains four boundary versions, including full resolution and generalised (20m, 200m) files clipped to the coastline. It is provided by the Office for National Statistics and contains Ordnance Survey and ONS intellectual property rights.

Use Cases

• Mapping census data based on the provided 2011 MSOA boundaries.
• Performing spatial analysis based on the full resolution or generalised boundary files.
• Integrating administrative geography into GIS projects based on the vector boundaries.
• Creating visualisations for regional planning based on the clipped coastline boundaries.

Strengths

• Provides four distinct boundary versions, including full resolution and generalised (20m, 200m) files.
• Contains boundaries for England and Wales as of a specific date (31 December 2011).
• File sizes are specified, ranging from 2 MB for super generalised to 191 MB for full resolution.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data is from 2011; freshness should be verified for current applications.

Provenance

Source

Office for National Statistics

Collection Method

Digital vector boundaries produced by Ordnance Survey and the ONS.

Time Range

As at 31 December 2011

Freshness

Last updated 2026-07-08 13:33:12.443566; freshness should be verified

Geography

England and Wales