Lower Super Output Areas LSOA
What is a Lower Super Output Area?
Lower Super Output Area (LSOA) were originally created for Census data, specifically for the output of census estimates. The Lower Super Output Area is the second lowest geographical level at which census estimates are provided, the lowest being Output Areas.
Many other government datasets have incorporated LSOAs as a standard release level. These can be used to compare locations across the country due to their standard sizes.LOSA can be combined with MSOA to group at a higher level. LSOA can also be reduced in size by using the smallest geographical level OAs.
The minimum LSOA size is 400 households and 1,000 resident people. The total number of LSOAs is 32,844 for England and 1,909 for Wales. LSOAs align to local authority district (LAD) boundaries, and also at the border between Scotland and England.
- Glossary: Output Area SizesOutput areas and Postcodes enable the capture of statistics and the grouping of addresses
- Glossary: Output Areas OAOutput Area (OAs) were originally created for Census data, these are heavily used in the Public sector for other data releases.
- Glossary: Middle Super Output Areas MSOAMiddle Super Output Areas (MSOAs) were originally created for Census data, specifically for the output of census estimates.
- Glossary: Indices of Multiple DeprivationIn the 1970s, government officials decided to gain an idea of the breadth and depth of rural and urban poverty by creating an Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD).
- Comparable Areas, OA or LSOA?LSOAs and OAs are geographic units used for statistical and administrative purposes. While LSOAs are defined within Local Authority boundaries, OAs are nested within LSOAs. Careful consideration should be given when choosing between the two.