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Samantha Fields

Senior Reporter

SHORT BIO

Samantha Fields is a senior reporter at Marketplace.

She’s particularly interested in how the economy affects people’s everyday lives, and a lot of her coverage focuses on economic inequality, housing and climate change.

She’s also reported and produced for WCAI and The GroundTruth Project, the “NPR Politics Podcast,” NPR’s midday show, “Here & Now,” Vermont Public Radio and Maine Public Radio. She got her start in journalism as a reporter for a community paper, The Wellesley Townsman, and her start in radio as an intern and freelance producer at “The Takeaway” at WNYC. She is a graduate of Wellesley College and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Latest Stories (528)

NYC's delivery drivers depend on e-bikes, but charging and storing them isn't easy

Sep 20, 2022
E-bikes are particularly popular among food delivery workers, and an informal, underground economy has sprung up to support them.
New York City is considering banning e-bikes from public housing after a number of fires have been attributed to their rechargeable batteries.
Eduardo Munoz/AFP via Getty Images

Retail sales rose a smidgen in August, but some see warning signs

Sep 15, 2022
Sales rose 0.3% last month, but there are signs some consumers are pulling back on big-ticket items, excluding cars.
In August, retail sales rose by 0.3%. Some of that was likely due to consumers stocking up on back-to-school items.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Household income stayed flat in 2021, census data shows

Sep 14, 2022
Wage increases have been eaten by high inflation.
Despite talk about pay increases and a hot labor market, wages have remained stagnant for years when you account for inflation.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

How power grids can be more resilient to climate change's effects

Sep 8, 2022
In the West, drought and fire can unite to put extra stress on the grid.
The power grid in California has held up under the test of a heatwave for now.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

High energy prices could threaten European utilities' ability to keep doing business

Sep 6, 2022
A reported $1.5 trillion is tied up as collateral on energy markets. That's making it hard for energy companies to operate.
Natural gas prices in Europe rose swiftly over the weekend following the announcement that Russia's state energy company Gazprom will not resume pumping natural gas through the Nord Stream pipeline. Above, a natural gas storage facility in Austria.
Alexandra Beier/Getty Images

Interest can add a lot of debt to student loans. Here's how the Biden plan could help.

Sep 5, 2022
The government would cover unpaid interest for borrowers who are on income-based repayment plans and continue to make monthly payments.
Because of the high interest rates on student loans, the amount owed continues to grow for many borrowers in income-driven repayment plans.
Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

What happens once federal funding to fight COVID ends?

Aug 31, 2022
FDA approved updated boosters Wednesday. The feds have helped cover costs of vaccination and testing as well as public awareness drives.
As funding for COVID dwindles, some communities have reduced outreach and closed some testing and vaccination sites.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP

Rent caps come to the fore as hikes spike

Aug 30, 2022
Rents have been rising fast along with the price of homes, prompting discussion of rent control or stabilization.
Rent prices are on the rise across the U.S., prompting conversation about setting limits on increases. 
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

To adapt to climate change, New York town considers a retreat from the beach

Aug 26, 2022
To prepare for threats like sea-level rise and intense storms, Montauk is considering relocating homes and businesses to higher ground.
The offices of the Montauk Chamber of Commerce. “Oceanfront is why people come here," said Executive Director Jennifer Fowkes. That oceanfront, however, is threatened by rising sea levels and more intense storms.
Samantha Fields/Marketplace

Black, Hispanic and poorer families pay the price for being "unbanked"

Aug 22, 2022
Low-income, Black, and Hispanic Americans are much more likely to lack a bank account or use alternative financial institutions like payday lenders.
A new report from the Joint Economic Committee in Congress finds that Black, Hispanic, and poorer Americans are much more likely to be considered "unbanked" or "underbanked".
Oli Scarff/Getty Images