Census

Definition

A census is a systematic count of a population, usually recording information such as age, sex and occupation. Carried out at regular intervals, it provides essential data to support government planning, policy development and allocation of resources.

Also known as

Population Census, National Census​

Relevance to OCSI

OCSI uses census data to gain insights into population demographics, trends, and needs. Census data is widely regarded as the gold standard of open data. When used close to publication, it provides the most accurate picture of communities – helping you to target local interventions more effectively.

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Featured posts

Data analysis

Exploring Scotland’s Census 2022 data at a small-area level

We’re happy to announce that data from Scotland’s Census 2022 is now…
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Research project: developing a measure of hyper-local need

Research Projects

Developing a measure of Hyper-local Need: neighbourhood level data to inform Labour’s key missions

The Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods (ICON) was created in September to examine…
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