Reflections on Nearly Two Decades of County Health Rankings and Roadmaps: Impact and Lessons Learned

For nearly two decades, the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R) – a collaboration between the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – has served as a foundational data-to-action platform translating complex population health concepts into free, publicly accessible resources. As long-term philanthropic support for the program concludes amid a shifting public health data landscape, this paper evaluates CHR&R’s reach, use, and legacy across public health practice, health care, community organizations, and academic research. Drawing on a 2025 homepage survey of 2538 users, administrative records, and bibliometric data, this evaluation identifies five primary functions of CHR&R: delivering trusted, centralized data infrastructure; guiding formal health assessments and planning; providing a shared vocabulary for stakeholder advocacy; advancing health equity through upstream frameworks and open data access; and fueling academic research and professional training. The findings highlight key lessons for future population health data intermediaries, emphasizing that raw data must be coupled with curated interpretation, strong community partnerships, transparent methods, and dedicated support for actionable implementation. Ultimately, CHR&R’s legacy is a demonstration of how sustained investments in data-action platforms empower the public health workforce to bridge research, policy, and practice effectively.