MSOAs: 2011 Census Boundaries for England and Wales

December 2011 digital vector boundaries for Middle Layer Super Output Areas (MSOAs) in England and Wales. The dataset provides four boundary versions: full-resolution (extent of the realm and coastline-clipped), and generalised versions (20m and 200m) clipped to the coastline. It is designed for mapping and spatial analysis linked to UK census and other statistical data.

Use Cases

• Creating thematic maps of census statistics based on MSOA geography.
• Aggregating point-level data to MSOA units using the generalised boundaries for faster processing.
• Performing coastal analysis using the full-resolution boundaries that include offshore islands.
• Integrating with ArcGIS services for web-based visualization and feature download.

Strengths

• Provides four distinct boundary resolutions (full, 20m, 200m) for different use cases, with specific file sizes listed (e.g., 2 MB for super generalised).
• Contains intellectual property from both Ordnance Survey and the Office for National Statistics, indicating authoritative sourcing.
• Offers multiple access methods including direct file download and RESTful ArcGIS services for INSPIRE compliance.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as row count, column names, and specific file formats are not provided in the available sources.
• The dataset is static and represents a single snapshot from December 2011, limiting its use for contemporary analysis without updates.
• The 'last updated' metadata field (2026-07-08) appears to be a future date or a system artifact, creating uncertainty about actual maintenance.

Provenance

Source

Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Ordnance Survey

Collection Method

Official digital vector boundaries produced for the 2011 Census.

Time Range

2011-12-31 (Boundary snapshot date)

Freshness

2026-07-08 13:32:40.649262 (Note: This is a future date and may be a system placeholder; the data itself is from 2011.)

Geography

England and Wales