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This ACORN classification business...

3 replies

ShinyHappyStarOfBethlehem · 28/11/2006 10:53

When you look up your local area via your postcode and find out what ACORN representation you apparently are (according to where you live).. how many people have found that this is actually a fair representation of the person they actually are??

Mine says that the people that live in my postcode "...are known as type 40 in the ACORN classification and 1.94% of the UK?s population live in this type.

The highest concentration of young working families are found in places such as Telford, Stevenage, Harlow, Basingstoke, and Basildon. Here is an overview of the likely preferences and features of your neighbourhood:

Family income Low
Interest in current affairs Low
Housing - with mortgage High
Educated - to degree Very low
Couples with children High
Have satellite TV Medium

Young families living on estates in New Towns make up most of this type of postcode. Most families are two parents with school age children, but there are also significant numbers of single parents.

Few people have formal educational qualifications beyond a few GCSEs. Employment prospects tend to be in the manufacturing, construction and retail sectors. As a result, family incomes are lower than the national average. Unemployment and part-time working are above average.

Accommodation is mostly in three bedroom terraced houses, some rented from the council and housing associations, and slightly more privately owned. Where houses are owned they tend to be lower priced. Remortgaging levels are high.

People are careful with spending. Food might be bought at Asda, Kwik Save or the Co-op, and many other items are purchased through catalogues. Mother and daughter might shop for clothes at New Look.

Typically these families will only run a single car, probably bought second hand. However a motorbike or scooter might act as a second vehicle.

Horseracing, doing the football pools, angling and bingo are all popular as is watching cable and satellite TV."

Compared to the real me it's not really that accurate..

Family income : Yes, that's low but won't be forever..
Interest in current affairs : High! DH and I are v.interested in current affairs
Housing - can't afford a mortgage it has to be said..
Couples with children: Yes we have several of the blighters..
Have satellite TV Yes.. although can ill afford it (keeps DK happy who is disabled and stuck indoors a lot)

And re the education.. I will eventually have a degree.. give me a couple more years..
I have to admit we do shop in Asda.. but also Tesco and Morrisons.. also local green grocers/butchers.. we shop around for best value for money.

I don't like generalised reports. .it makes me want to do something radical and break from the mould!

OP posts:
LadyMuck · 28/11/2006 11:02

But any generalisation won't give you an idea of an individual within the population. It is looking at a general trend, where most of the individual aspects which will only apply to at most 50% of the population in the area.

Bear in mind that the Acorn system divides everyone up in the country into 50-60 categories - of course it is at best a crude approximation.

The reports do what they set out to do - provide some additional details to advertisers. Saga Holidays probably wouldn't target your postcode. Be thankful!

In terms of our Acorn category - I've noticed that we seem to have changed once or twice in the past few years (the population is changing as the oldies are dying off and younger familes are moving in. I'd say it is relatively representative of the area.

Piffle · 28/11/2006 11:09

well ours is absolute BALLS

throckenholt · 28/11/2006 11:23

category 40 - seems to be moderate means - post industrial families - young family workers.

Seems reasonable for much of the Harlow area - don't know much about the others.

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