Overview

SA2s have been designed as a replacement for Statistical Local Areas (SLAs), though 2011 Census data will still be made available for SLAs in 2012. They are built from whole SA1s and aim to roughly represent a population of between 3,000 and 25,000 persons.

SA2 vs. SLA

Example: Geelong, VIC

• 12 x Statistical Local Area (SLA) in 2006
• 20 x Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2) in 2011

Pros

• Consistency
  Designed to represent suburbs and localities
  Aim: average 10,000 persons (2,000 min, 25,000 max)
• Stability
  Expected growth and major developments included in design
• Much better granularity in populated areas
  2,214 SA2s versus 1,426 SLAs
• Mesh Blocks now fit cleanly within SA1s with no overlaps.
  Unlike 2006, where MBs were an experimental geography and had no relationship to any other geography

Cons

• Will not aggregate to LGAs like in 2006
• Potentially less granularity for some remote areas

More information about SA2s

For a detailed description of SA2s, please view the Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2) page on the ABS website.