You can search for the following Wordpress plug-ins : FireStats SlimStats Or open an account with Google Analytics and install Google Analyticator plug-in.
There are hundreds of statistics plugins and sites which will help you with your wordpress.org site. Statcounter, Sitemeter, Google Analytics to name a few. Your host's Awstats will also give you a good idea. Also check out http://codex.wordpress.org/Plugins/Statistics for a list of plugins which would help you.........
where is the best place to add my statcounter code? I tried header, footer, sidebar... somehow the Look and Feel got distorted
Google Analytics works just fine...and firestats and similar use DB space and slow down your blog. Control panels like cPanel come with "latest visitors". AwStats is also good enough.
I opt for the invisible statcounter code... the sidebar panel got distorted after i insert on the header/footer or sidebar. I wish to know where is a safe place to add the code without affecting the view of the blog.. anyone knows? I thought WP blog is suppose to be very easy