Censu

s.ac.

uk

Mapping data using ArcGIS

Carol Blackwood, UKBORDERS

Censu

s.ac.

uk

Why map census data?

• Benefits of mapping census data– Reveal spatial patterns– Add richness to research– (More) Effective presentation and

dissemination of results

Censu

s.ac.

uk

Why map census data?

• Uses of mapped census data– Health– Employment– Education– Population– Ethnicity– Historic– Used in academic research and in

local/central government for policy decision making

Censu

s.ac.

uk

Census Aggregate Statisticse.g. Population by district of SW England

Map displaying population of SW England

District outlines

DIGITAL BOUNDARY DATA

Censu

s.ac.

uk

Digital Boundary Data (DBD)

• Digital version of geographical boundary information

• e.g. districts, county, output areas, primary care trust

• UKBORDERS – more later…

Censu

s.ac.

uk

Mapping in ArcGIS

• Introduction to ArcGIS (demo)• Import data downloaded from CASWEB• Visualise variables• Create a map to print

Censu

s.ac.

uk

Retrieving and matching additional boundary data from UKBORDERS

Censu

s.ac.

uk

UKBORDERSedina.ac.uk/ukborders/

– Web based delivery of DBD and associated look-up tables

– Main datasets associated with 1981, 1991 and 2001 Census geography

– Entire datasets and user defined areas– Comprehensive help and support– Key associated datasets e.g. current and

historical NSPD– Learning materials– Metadata

Censu

s.ac.

uk

Linking Census datasets in GIS

• Visualising Census data using boundaries will usually involve linking datasets

• Three main ways:– Attribute to digital boundary data– Point-in-polygon– Polygon-in-polygon

Censu

s.ac.

uk

Retrieving and matching additional boundary data

• Download Primary Care Trust areas from UKBORDERS

• Load into ArcMap• Spatially link to Ethnicity data• Visualise Ethnicity stats by PCTs