Census of Population and Housing 1986: Statistical Local Area Summary File (Usual Residence) Summary File

What is the USLASF?

Dimensions of the data set

Record structure

Indicative Information and Data Code Groups

Description of the summary tables

Download an .rtf version of documents related to the USLASF

What is the USLASF?

The Statistical Local Area Summary File (Usual Residence) summarises selected characteristics of persons, families and dwellings as collected from the Census of Population and Housing, 30 June 1986: and allows the aggregation of any combination of Statistical Local Areas. The USLASF is similar to the Local Government Area Summary Files produced for the 1976 and 1981 censuses, except that it is presented on a place of usual residence basis rather than place of enumeration. Two versions of the Statistical Local Area Summary File have been produced from the 1986 Census: one on a place of enumeration basis; and the other on a place of usual residence basis. This document describes the usual residence version only.

The File contains, for each SLA, a series of counts of census characteristics of persons, families and dwellings grouped to form 28 statistical tables.

Small non-zero cells on this file have been randomly adjusted in an unbiased manner to avoid the release of identifiable data. This introduced error, in addition to possible respondent and processing errors, means that no significance can be attached to cells of three or less. Some of the small area summary tables which are finely classified are dominated by small cells, and for areas with a population of less than 100 persons are not of sufficient statistical value to warrant their being published on microfiche. However, the data remain on the USLASF for use in aggregating to larger areas.

Random adjustment of small area data has also the following effects:

1. more accurate statistics for SLAs will be obtained directly from the USLASF than from aggregations of the Collection District Summary File (which contains a larger number of adjusted cells); and

2. totals between tables may not always be consistent.

Dimensions of the data set

The USLASF consists of 1355 logical records, one for each Statistical Local Area. Each logical record contains one record of geographic indicative information and 17 records containing counts or totals grouped to form 28 tables.

Record Structure

For each SLA on the USLASF, there are 18 records, each 372 characters long.

The 18 records for each SLA are identified by a two character record type field containing the values 00-17. Record type 00 contains geographic indicative information for the SLA in a format described below. Record types 01-17 contain the summary data for the SLA. A later section describes the format of the summary data in more detail.

For some basic information about the way Census 86 was planned, designed, executed and processed, information on the person and dwelling characteristics included in statistical output and some guidance to other census products, see "Census 86 - How Australia Takes a Census".

Indicative information

The type 00 record is called the geographic indicative record, and contains additional information to identify the SLA in relation to other geographic areas.

The structure of this record is as follows:

• State
• Statistical local area
• Record type
• Space filler (consists of five zeroes)
• Statistical division
• Statistical subdivision
• Statistical region
• Statistical district
• Area in square km
• Statistical local area name
• File name (either CSLASF or USLASF)
• Date
• Space filler (consists of 300 spaces)

Description of the Summary Tables

The USLASF contains data from 18 summary tables which present characteristics of persons, families and dwellings for each SLA in Australia. The tabulation basis is place of usual residence.

The 18 records for each SLA are identified by a two character record type field containing the values 00-17. Record type 00 contains geographic indicative information for the SLA in a format described above. Record types 01-17 contain the summary data for the SLA.

Full details of the tables and cells are given in "Condensed Format Statistical Local Area (Usual Residence) Summary Tables Description File" (download .rtf version) . The data cell values commence at 1, incrementing by 1 for each cell until 1016 is reached.

Cell numbers 439,442,445,448,457,460,463 and 466 are null cells due to change in design of the database and are set to zero.

These 1016 cells are stored in record types 01 - 17. Each record consists of a 12 character header (containing the SLA indicative and record type indicator) followed by 60 cells each 6 characters long (12 + 60 x 6 = 372, the record length).

Record type 01 contains cells 1 - 60
Record type 02 contains cells 61 - 120
Record type 03 contains cells 121 - 180

to

Record type 17 contains cells 961 - 1016 (i.e. the first 56 cells)

The remaining 4 cells in record type 17 are filled with `9'.

The structure of the data records is as follows:

Field number	Start position	Length	Name
1	1	1	State
2	2	4	Statistical local area code
3	6	2	Record type
4	8	5	Filler
4 + J	7 + 6J	6	Cell (J) (J = 1 to 60)

For record type I (I = 01 to 17) and cell J (J = 1 to 60) within record I, the corresponding cell number N (N = 1 to 1016) is N = (I - 1) x 60 + J.

When N = 1016, I = 17 and J = 56, as there are only 1016 defined cells, the remaining cells J = 57 to 60 in record type 17 are filled with `9'.

The populations covered by each table are as follows:

Table	Dimensions	Numbers of cells	Description	Table population
U01	2 x 2	4	Summary of persons	Total persons
U02	32 x 2	64	Age in years	Total persons
U03	5 x 2	10	Marital status	Persons aged 15 and over
U04	4 x 2	8	Usual residence	Total persons
U05	18 x 2	36	Usual residence, pre 1986	Australian residents 1985, Australian residents 1981
U06	20 x 2	40	Birthplace	Total persons
U07	11 x 3	33	Birthplace of overseas born by period of residence	Overseas born persons
U08	7 x 3	21	Proficiency in English by age	Persons aged 5 and over born in non English speaking countries
U09	14 x 2	28	Language other than English spoken at home	Persons aged 5 and over who speak a language other than English at home
U10	11 x 11	121	Birth place of parents of Australian born persons	Australian born persons
U11	13 x 2	26	Religion	Total persons
U12	4 x 2	8	Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders	Total persons
U13	6 x 2	12	Age of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders	Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders
U14	10 x 2	20	Age left school	Persons aged 15 and over
U15	18 x 2	36	Type of educational institution being attended	Persons attending an educational institution
U16	6 x 2	12	Level of qualification	Persons aged 15 and over
U17	18 x 2	36	Field of qualification	Persons aged 15 and over
U18	3 x 8	24	Marital status of labour force by age	Persons aged 15 and over
U19	8 x 8	64	Labour force status by age	Persons aged 15 and over
U20	10 x 8	80	Occupation by age	Employed labour force
U21	14 x 8	112	Industry by age	Employed labour force
U22	15 x 2	30	Individual income (annual)	Persons aged 15 and over
U23	12 x 2	24	Method of travel to work	Employed labour force
U24	10 x 3	30	Occupation by birthplace	Employed labour force
U25	14 x 5	70	Industry by hours worked	Employed labour force
U26	10 x 4	40	Occupation by status of worker	Employed labour force
U27	5 x 2	10	Industry sector	Employed labour force
U28	5 x 2 + 7	14	Hours worked	Employed labour force