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Matt Levin

Senior Reporter

SHORT BIO

Matt covers AI for Marketplace, where he tries to be as polite as he can to every chatbot he meets … because, well, he’s seen sci-fi movies. Matt also covers some crypto and housing, with a taste for stories that make you say: "huh, that's kinda weird.”

Before joining Marketplace Matt was a data and housing reporter for CalMatters, focused on California politics and policy. Before that he was a statistics jockey for a think tank, focused on poverty and inequality. And long before that Matt was a really terrible teenage cashier for Toys R Us.

Matt’s previous honors include awards from the Online News Association and regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and SPJ awards.

Latest Stories (301)

In a more competitive environment, where is streaming content headed?

by Matt Levin
Sep 23, 2022
Netflix may be moving away from spending lavishly on talent to build its brand, but the demand for the content is still there.
Cast members of Netflix's hit show "Bridgerton" gather for a panel. Netflix signed a nine-figure deal with showrunner Shonda Rhimes in 2017.
Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix
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Why high yields on Treasury notes should worry you

by Matt Levin
Sep 20, 2022
Higher yields on government bonds mean the interest rate you pay for pretty much everything also climbs.
LPETTET/Getty Images
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What the phrase "soft landing" says about how we view the economy

by Matt Levin
Sep 19, 2022
The metaphor for the Federal Reserve's inflation-fighting goal is losing favor. Hard landings are more common, unfortunately.
In the '70s, Treasury chief George Shultz used the term "soft landing" to describe how a mild economic cooldown could fight inflation. Now, Fed Chair Jay Powell is facing a rocky landscape.
NASA/AFP via Getty Images
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Child poverty fell by nearly half in 2021, Census Bureau says

by Matt Levin
Sep 13, 2022
The supplemental poverty rate fell to its lowest since 2009. Children living in poverty fell by almost half.
A volunteer hands out lettuce at a food pantry in December 2021. Last year, the supplemental poverty rate fell to 7.8%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images
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How "long COVID" is impacting the labor force

by Matt Levin
Sep 13, 2022
A new Stanford study found that long-haul COVID and other COVID-related health issues have led at least half a million workers to leave the job market.
Getty Images
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Hybrid work adds strain to power grids during heat wave

by Matt Levin
Sep 6, 2022
The lights and the AC are on in offices and living rooms, challenging energy systems amid record temperatures.
California's electric grid operator has asked residents to save power by shutting off their air conditioning in the late afternoon and evening during the ongoing heat wave.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
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Race and Economy

Black workers could suffer more in employment slowdown

by Matt Levin
Sep 2, 2022
"The Black workforce is the canary in the coal mine," said Howard University's Bill Spriggs. "They’re already suffering."
Black workers now account for 20% of the transportation and utilities workforce.
Arturo Holmes/Getty Images
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Seattle was a transit success story before COVID. How's it doing now?

by Matt Levin
Sep 1, 2022
Bus ridership is still down amid the popularity of working from home. But light rail shows signs of life, catering to the noncommuter crowd.
In Seattle, bus ridership is down, but Link light rail is nearly back to pre-pandemic passenger levels.
Karen Ducey/Getty Images
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Is housing in a recession or a reality check?

by Matt Levin
Aug 23, 2022
Trade groups say the industry is in recession, but prices are still high and foreclosures are low.
While prices are still high, home sales across the country have declined for six straight months.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
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Car speed limiters are gaining traction

by Matt Levin
Aug 22, 2022
Last month a new European rule went into effect mandating speed limiters on new cars. Now New York city is trying out the devices.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
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