Definition
A code set representing a geographical area aggregated from whole Mesh Blocks. Statistical Areas Level 1 (SA1s) are designed to maximise the geographic detail available for Census of Population and Housing data while maintaining confidentiality. Most SA1s have a population of between 200 to 800 people.
Conceptual Domain
GeospatialRepresentation
| Description | SA1s are identified by an 11-digit fully hierarchical code, comprising the 1-digit State and Territory, and Statistical Areas Level 1-4 identifiers. The SA1 identifier is a 2-digit code, assigned within an SA2. An SA1 code is only unique within a State or Territory when it is preceded by the State or Territory identifier. The ABS previously provided an additional, short 7-digit code for SA1s. Short codes are not included in ASGS Edition 3 to reduce confusion. Support is available via statistical consultancies for users that need support to transition from using 7-digit to 11-digit codes. In the future, it may be necessary to allocate new codes. If an SA1 is discontinued, or changes significantly for new editions of the ASGS, the SA1 identifier will be retired and the replacement SA1s will be given the next available previously unused SA1 identifier within the SA2. |
|---|---|
| Data Type | NUMBERSTRING |
| Format | N(11) |
| Maximum character length | 11 |
Reference Classification
Australian Statistical Geography Standard ASGS ed.3Comments
There are 61,845 SA1 regions covering the whole of Australia without gaps or overlaps. This includes 34 non-spatial special purpose codes including a new Outside Australia code. These non-spatial SA1s represent populations that are difficult to define geographically such as people who are in transit or have no fixed address. Examples include the Migratory and No Usual Address SA1s.
SA1s are designed to be either urban or rural in character.
Urban SA1s contain one or more of the following:
- residential development with a density of over 200 people per square kilometre
- built infrastructure including: ports, airports with paved runways, industrial, commercial and retail development, large sporting complexes, education campuses, places of worship, military camps and research stations
- local parks and playgrounds
- local sports facilities and ovals
- vegetation corridors
- golf courses
- cemeteries
- lakes, rivers, riverbanks, creeks and drainage reserves surrounded by development of an urban character
- sewerage facilities, waste disposal facilities, hospitals, transport hubs, and grain storage
Rural SA1s contain one or more of the following:
- residential development with a density of less than 200 people per square kilometre
- agriculture
- national parks
- defence reserves
- indigenous lands
- mines
- stockyards
- lakes, rivers, riverbanks, creeks and drainage reserves not surrounded by development of an urban character
SA1s are also used as the building blocks for a number of Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) defined regions including the Indigenous Structure, the Section of State and Urban Centre and Localities Structures, and the Remoteness Structure. Within the Non-ABS Structure, SA1s are used to approximate a number of administrative regions, such as Commonwealth Electoral Divisions and State Electoral Divisions.
SA1 coding structure:
| State/territory | SA4 | SA3 | SA2 | SA1 |
| N | NN | NN | NNNN | NN |
Origin
Australian Bureau of Statistics (Jul2021-Jun2026), Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3, ABS Website, accessed 5 September 2024.
Related content
| Relation | Count |
|---|---|
| Data Elements implementing this Value Domain | 2 |