Data zone centroids are point features that represent the population weighted centre of data zones - the core geography used for the dissemination of results from Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics (SNS). Centroids were calculated from a population weighted sum of Census Output Area centroids that fall within a data zone. Eastings and northings for each Output Area were multiplied by their population, summed based upon the data zone in which they fell, and then divided by the total population of the data zone. These centroids are in turn used to link data zones to other (higher) geographies via a spatial join, producing a 'best-fit' match between data zones and other SNS geographies. This is Version 2 of the dataset, as the original version was shown to produce bias to the north and east.
There are 6,505 data zones across Scotland, and each have been assigned an individual code that follows the Scottish Government's standard naming and coding convention. The code prefix is S01, which has been assigned to designate data zones. In some cases, data zones have also been assigned a name. To date, Local Authorities that have named their data zones include Eilean Siar (Western Isles), Falkirk, Fife, Highland, Moray, Shetland, South Lanarkshire, Stirling and West Lothian.
