
Author
Logan Johnson
Founder & Data Editor
Builder and data editor of the ByCounty Network. I publish county-level data sourced exclusively from federal agencies — and I am personally accountable for every methodology decision on this site.
Logan Johnson is the founder and data editor of the ByCounty Network — a family of independent data-journalism sites that publish county-level statistics from primary U.S. government sources: U.S. Census ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, USDA, and USASpending.gov.
His role is the data-editor role, not the subject-matter-expert role. He designs the data pipelines that pull each dataset, sets the methodology behind every composite score and ranking, spot-checks AI-generated narratives against the underlying statistics before publication, and signs off on every methodology change. He is not a CPA, physician, criminologist, real-estate broker, or other domain-credentialed professional. The site is a transparent data utility, not a professional advisory service.
When a feature genuinely requires domain expertise — a public-health analyst weighing in on CDC measure choice, a CPA reviewing a property-tax explainer — Logan recruits a named co-byline reviewer rather than fabricating credentials. The reviewer commitment for each site is documented on that site's editorial-standards page, including the recruit status when no domain reviewer is currently in place.
Outside the network, Logan has spent the last several years building data infrastructure for logistics and operations teams — work that translates directly into the pipeline discipline applied here: every statistic on the site is traceable to a primary source, every methodology decision is documented, and every page lists a "Last reviewed" date.
Coverage areas
- composite county-score methodology
- percentile-rank scoring across 8+ dimensions
- cross-vertical data aggregation (tax, crime, health, schools, risk, water, income, cost)
- multi-source data pipeline orchestration
Articles by Logan on CountyScore
Best Counties for Quality of Life in America (2026)
The 25 highest-scoring counties in America ranked by composite quality-of-life score. Data-driven analysis of what makes a county great to live in, using Census, FBI, CDC, FEMA, and EPA data.
The Safest Counties in America (2026)
The 25 safest counties in the United States ranked by FBI crime data. Analysis of geographic patterns, population correlations, and what makes these counties so safe.
Most Affordable Counties for Families (2026)
The 25 most affordable counties for families, ranked by a composite of cost of living, school quality, and safety. Find where your dollar goes furthest without sacrificing what matters.
Best Counties to Live in America: Top 50 by Quality of Life Score
The 50 best counties to live in America, ranked by composite quality-of-life score. Comprehensive data-driven analysis using Census, FBI, CDC, FEMA, NCES, and EPA data.
Safest Counties in America: Top 50 by Crime Rate
The 50 safest counties in America ranked by FBI crime data. Geographic patterns, population density correlations, and what makes these the safest places to live in the US.
Most Affordable Counties for Families: Top 50
The 50 most affordable counties for families balancing cost of living, school quality, and safety. Find where your dollar goes furthest without sacrificing what matters most.
Best Counties for Remote Workers (2026)
The 50 best counties for remote workers, ranked by cost of living, income potential, and health outcomes. Find where to maximize your salary and quality of life while working from anywhere.
Best Counties for Retirement (2026)
The 50 best counties for retirement, ranked by health outcomes, cost of living, and low disaster risk. Find the safest, most affordable places to enjoy your golden years.
Counties with the Lowest Property Tax in America (2026)
The 50 counties with the lowest property taxes in America, ranked by effective tax rate. Find where homeowners pay the least in annual property tax.
Counties with the Best Schools in America (2026)
The 50 counties with the best schools in America, ranked by graduation rates, per-pupil spending, and educational attainment. Find the best school districts for your family.
Healthiest Counties in America (2026)
The 50 healthiest counties in America, ranked by life expectancy, health outcomes, and healthcare access. Data-driven analysis from CDC County Health Rankings.
Counties with the Highest Income in America (2026)
The 50 highest-income counties in America, ranked by median household income and per capita earnings. Find where Americans earn the most money.
Most Disaster-Resistant Counties in America (2026)
The 50 most disaster-resistant counties in America, ranked by FEMA National Risk Index. Find the safest counties from floods, hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, and tornadoes.
Best Counties for First-Time Homebuyers (2026)
The 50 best counties for first-time homebuyers, ranked by affordability, low property taxes, and safety. Find where homeownership is most accessible.
Hidden Gem Counties: America's Most Underrated Places to Live (2026)
The 50 hidden gem counties in America — excellent places to live that fly under the radar. High composite scores without the hype or inflated prices.