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 (524)

What's behind significant rent increases in some U.S. cities?

Apr 27, 2022
People looking to break out of shared housing are increasing demand for rentals, but supply is limited.
Some markets across the U.S. have seen double-digit percent increases in apartment rents.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

As the expanded child tax credit draws to a close, yet another study highlights its positive impact

Apr 20, 2022
It's been especially important to low-income families and families of color.
Studies show that many parents have used the expanded child tax credit to purchase healthier food and household necessities.  
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Repaying student loans is a burden, but most people 40 and under don't regret taking them out

Apr 20, 2022
Even though loan payments have forced many of them to put off major financial decisions.
"Higher education is still probably one of the strongest predictors of financial security and stability within our society," said Fenaba Addo, an associate professor at UNC Chapel Hill.
Jon Cherry/Getty Images

Ukrainians will soon be eligible for temporary protected status. What does that mean?

Apr 6, 2022
It lets people get work permits and protects them from deportation. The status does not offer a path to citizenship.
While Ukrainians will soon be eligible for temporary protected status, it is not a path to citizenship and doesn't include eligibility for programs like federal housing assistance or food stamps.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

California's wildfire building codes make newer homes less likely to burn

Apr 1, 2022
But up to 14 million homes were built before fire safety measures took effect. Some insurers now offer discounts for risk reduction.
Jim and Ann Pesout's house in Northern California before it burned down in the Butte Fire in 2015.
Courtesy Jim and Ann Pesout

The gender pay gap is closing in some cities. Can that parity last?

Mar 29, 2022
In 22 cities around the country, women under 30 in full-time jobs are earning as much or more than men. As workers age, however, the gender age gap tends to grow.
In some cities in the US, the gender pay gap is closing, but only for certain women.
Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images

Federal funding for COVID testing and treatment for the uninsured has run out

Mar 22, 2022
Hospitals and doctors will no longer be reimbursed. The White House has asked Congress for $22.5 billion for its ongoing COVID efforts.
If people are confused about whether or not they’re going to have to pay, they are less likely to get tested for COVID-19, one expert said.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

2.6 million cars cut from global production forecast this year

Mar 17, 2022
The war in Ukraine is already slowing production in ways automakers — and consumers — will feel in 2022 and beyond.
With multiple disruptions to the supply chain, the auto industry is set to take a production hit.
Jade Gao/ Getty Images

The pandemic drove people to buy more online, and some of those buying habits are sticking

Mar 17, 2022
One retail category that remains popular: buying groceries online, something many people had not tried before the pandemic.
Online shopping has surged during the pandemic, according to data from Adobe, But inflation accounts for a significant portion of that growth.
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images

February was another disappointment for retail sales

Mar 16, 2022
They've been up and down like a bouncing ball for the past few months.
Not adjusting for inflation, retail sales in February were up just 0.3% over January. Factoring in inflation, they were actually down.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images