Rural Urban Classification (2021) of Local Authority Districts (2021) in EW

Rural Urban Classification The 2021 RUC is a statistical classification to provide a consistent and standardised method for classifying geographies as rural or urban. This is based on address density, physical settlement form, population size, and Relative Access to Major towns and cities (populations of over 75,000 people). The classification is produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) with advice from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Welsh Government and colleagues from the Government Geography Profession (GGP). This is the 2021 rural-urban classification (RUC) of the 2021 Local Authority Districts in England and Wales. This means that the 2021 RUC methodology has been applied to the 2021 LAD boundaries. LAD classifications are divided into four categories based on their populations: <!--1. Majority Rural: had at least 50% of their population residing in Rural OAs. <!--2. Intermediate Rural: 35-50% rural population <!--3. Intermediate Urban: 20-35% rural population <!--4. Urban: 20% or less of the population live in rural OAs. Each 2021 LAD category is split into one of two Relative Access categories, using the same data as the 2021 Output Area RUC. If more than 50% of a LAD population lives in ‘nearer to a major town or city’ OAs, it is deemed ‘nearer a major town or city’; otherwise, it is classified as ‘further from a major town or city. Where data is unavailable for Super Output Area geographies, it may be appropriate for users to undertake analysis at the LAD level. At this level, the categorisation works slightly differently in that most areas will include a mix of both rural and urban areas - so the LAD RUC categorisation is a reflection of this. A statistical geography may contain substantial portions of open countryside but still be given an ‘Urban’ classification if the majority of the population within the area live in settlements that are urban in nature. Users should take this into consideration to ensure correct interpretations of any analysis of RUC LAD categories城乡分类（Rural Urban Classification, RUC）：2021版城乡分类为一套统计分类方法，旨在为地理区域的城乡划分提供统一、标准化的实施流程。该分类以地址密度、实体聚落形态、人口规模，以及与人口7.5万以上大型城镇的相对通达性作为划分依据。 本分类由英国国家统计局（Office for National Statistics, ONS）编制，同时获得了环境、食品与农村事务部（Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Defra）、威尔士政府及政府地理专业团队（Government Geography Profession, GGP）的专家顾问支持。 本数据集为英格兰与威尔士地区2021年地方当局辖区（Local Authority Districts, LAD）的2021版城乡分类结果，即通过2021版RUC分类方法对2021年LAD的地理边界完成划分。 LAD分类依据农村人口占比划分为四类： 1. 多数农村（Majority Rural）：至少50%的人口居住在农村输出区域（Output Area, OA）； 2. 中等农村（Intermediate Rural）：农村人口占比为35%至50%； 3. 中等城市（Intermediate Urban）：农村人口占比为20%至35%； 4. 城市（Urban）：农村人口占比不超过20%。 每个2021年LAD分类结果将沿用2021年输出区域RUC的同一数据集，进一步划分为两类相对通达性组别：若某LAD内超过50%的人口居住在“邻近大型城镇”的输出区域，则将其归类为“邻近大型城镇”组别；反之则归类为“远离大型城镇”组别。 若无法获取超级输出区域（Super Output Area）的地理数据，使用者可选择以LAD为层级开展分析。在该层级下，分类规则略有调整：多数区域同时包含农村与城市区域，因此LAD的RUC分类正是对这一混合特征的体现。 某统计地理区域即便包含大片开阔乡村地带，若区域内多数人口居住在城市属性的聚落中，仍会被归类为“城市”组别。使用者需留意这一细节，以确保对RUC LAD分类相关分析的解读准确无误。