In one embodiment, an apparatus includes one or more memory devices, each memory device having non-volatile memory configured to store data, and a memory controller connected to the one or more memory devices, the memory controller being configured to receive data to be stored to the one or more memory devices, store read-hot data within one error correction code (ECC) codeword as aligned data, and store read-cold data to straddle two or more ECC codewords as non-aligned data and/or dispersed data. According to another embodiment, a method for storing data to non-volatile memory includes receiving data to store to one or more memory devices, each memory device including non-volatile memory configured to store data, storing read-hot data within one ECC codeword as aligned data, and storing read-cold data to straddle two or more ECC codewords as non-aligned data and/or dispersed data.