Matt Wolfinger is a data reporter and graduate of Northeastern University's journalism master's program. His studies helped accumulate the necessary skills to thrive in the industry, learning multiple coding languages and libraries. As a reporter, he's passionate about highlighting systemic issues and giving a voice to underserved communities — letting data serve as a tool for advocacy.
At Denver Business Journal, Matt was the newsroom's sole data reporter and covered the cannabis beat. In Boston, they conducted on-the-ground reporting at protests against union-busting. Their reporting on protests organized by Starbucks and other local baristas was featured in Best of SNO. His writing has appeared in Denver Business Journal, ConsumerAffairs, Working Mass, The Scope, and more.
Reporting on a march organized by Boston-based Starbucks and independent cafe workers fighting back against union-busting. Explores the nationwide labor movement that took place across Starbucks stores in 2022. Best of SNO award winner.
Reporting on data from the Council of Community and Economic Research's Cost of Living Index. Compares the increase Denver's cost of living to the national average. Includes filterable charts made with Infogram and Datawrapper.
Infogram, Datawrapper
An in-depth breakdown of the process of assembling my master's thesis project at Northeastern University, a searchable interface of Boston Police misconduct data.
HTML/CSS/JS, Illustrator, Excel
Reporting on executive pay data and the pay disparity between CEOs of Colorado companies and the average worker. In 2021, Colorado CEOs at the head of S&P 500 companies earned 164 times more than the state's average worker. Includes chart created with Adobe Illustrator.
Adobe Illustrator
Reporting on a 5k picket line run organized by Starbucks Workers United and Boston Democratic Socialists of America during 2025's "Red Cup Rebellion" unfair labor strike. Interviewees include runners, Workers United baristas and the host of the event.
Reporting on the decline in sales of medical and recreational cannabis in Colorado, which reached a record low in 2022. Analysis of data from the Colorado Department of Revenue's Marijuana Enforcement Division. Includes data vis created with Infogram.
Infogram
For Denver Business Journal I analyzed data from the Council of Community and Economic Research's Cost of Living Index, which weighs multiple factors (the cost of rent, groceries and gas) to calculate a percentage increase in the average cost of living for every city in the United States. I discovered that Denver's rate of inflation between 2019 and 2022 was higher than the national average, then created a filterable bar chart to visualize my findings. The chart displays the top 5 urban areas in Colorado that saw the largest percentage increase in the average costs of groceries, gas and rent.
To complement my reporting on U.S. Postal Service change-of-address data, I constructed a choropleth map to visualize my findings. By subtracting the number of businesses that filed change-of-address requests out of each ZIP code from those moving into it, I calculated the net gains and losses of businesses between 2019 and 2022 for each area.
Using census ZIP code tabulation data, each area's net loss/increase value was paired with its respective ZIP code and assigned a color value, with lighter colors signifying a larger net loss and vice-versa.
Downtown Denver saw the largest net loss of registered businesses, while the ZIP code with the largest net increase housed the Denver Tech Center and the newly-renovated Belleview commuter rail station.
Colorado CEOs earned 164 times more than their workers last year
Medical marijuana sales reach record low in Colorado
How bad is inflation in Denver? New data sheds light on the rising cost of living
More than 1,000 businesses left downtown Denver since 2019, according to the USPS
Want to start a side hustle? This study says Denver is a pretty good spot to do it
Colorado researchers received record-breaking NIH funding for second year in a row
Every Fortune 1000 company in Colorado had at least one woman on their board last year
Top Front Range revenue-earners share their secrets to success
Colorado hospitals rank well despite staff shortages and burnout
Want to move to a big city? Here are the cheapest places to live
Debt the halls: 65% of shoppers report financial stress leading up to the holidays
Migration trends report: Where are people moving in 2024?
Where do most car accidents happen in the U.S.?
Nearly half of renters say they've had to take on debt to pay rent. Which cities have it the worst?
These states spend the most on their roads. But are conditions really improving?
Colorado cities with the worst drivers
Assembling a searchable interface of Boston police misconduct data
Cross the finish line, not the picket line - Newton runs 5k to support striking Starbucks baristas
Boston Starbucks workers march with local cafes against union-busting
Workers hold rally in solidarity with grocery store union
Rising Rents Are Pushing Out Seniors in These States
My Northeastern University master's thesis project. A searchable interface containing two decades of Boston Police misconduct data. Look up a BPD officer by their name or badge ID number to see their entire cataloged history of misconduct allegations.
HTML/CSS/JS, Illustrator, Excel
Final project for my Design Mapping class at Northeastern. A StoryMaps project containing multiple maps built using ArcGIS online, documenting the disturbing trend of demolitions of historic sites within the city of Philadelphia — utilizes data sourced from the OpenDataPhilly and includes a data vis graph constructed with Datawrapper.
ArcGIS Online, StoryMaps, Datawrapper
A combination of two projects constructed for my Visualization Technologies course at Northeastern. Analysis and data vis constructed using RStudio, and presentation itself constructed with HTML and CSS. Interactive data vis chart with filters built using the D3 JavaScript library. Click the David Bowie icon to view the next iteration of that project — focused on Pitchfork's reviews of David Bowie albums.
HTML/CSS/JS, RStudio, Excel