Wards

Wards are the building blocks of UK administrative geography.  The average ward size in the UK is approximately 5,500 people, but they tend to be smaller in Cumbria.  There are 168 wards in Cumbria in total.

Many datasets are available at this level, particularly from the census, although care should be taken to ensure the data is robust enough at the ward level.  This data can be useful when collating a range of indicators about a local area, or for highlighting those areas within Cumbria where a particular set of conditions are being experienced.  For example, by examining income at ward level, it would be possible to see where financial hardship may be strongest in the county.

One drawback of wards is that they are subject to boundary changes, which may mean that it is not possible to compare data over time.