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 (537)

For state unemployment offices, the last year has been rough

Feb 18, 2021
They're processing more claims than ever, and Washington keeps changing the rules.
courtneyk via Getty Images

"We could see our breath indoors": How some Texans are coping

Feb 16, 2021
The power's been on and off for almost two days for millions in the Lone Star State.
Texans are navigating loss of Wi-Fi, freezing homes and bursting pipes in the wake of the winter storm. Above, a couple walks through a snow-covered park in Houston.
Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images

Federal health care portal reopens for 3-month special enrollment period

Feb 16, 2021
The Biden administration plans to spread the word that people can sign up and may be eligible for free or subsidized coverage.
As of Monday, through May 15, people in the 36 states that use HealthCare.gov can sign up for federal insurance plans.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

LGBTQ people now protected under the Fair Housing Act

Feb 15, 2021
HUD will begin enforcing the Fair Housing Act in cases of discrimination against LGBTQ people.
Anyone who believes they have been discriminated against because of their gender identity or sexual orientation can now file a complaint with HUD.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Will the next round of relief checks be based on 2020 income?

Feb 8, 2021
That may depend on how early you file your taxes.
Filing your taxes electronically and early could raise the odds of getting a relief check based on your 2020 income, according to Janet Holtzblatt of the Tax Policy Center.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Delayed movie releases ripple through toy industry

Feb 8, 2021
Some licensed toys connected to legacy franchises still sold well, and 2020 overall was a good year for toy sales
Despite delays to big theatrical releases in 2020, licensed toys connected to legacy franchises, like "Star Wars," sold well last year.
Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Disney

How much control do presidents really have over the economy?

Feb 5, 2021
Normally presidents have very few tools to control the economy. With the COVID-19 pandemic, however, things are a bit different.
President Joe Biden signs executive orders in the Oval Office on Jan. 28, 2021.
Doug Mills/Getty Images

Automakers are in line with Biden for new direction on climate, electric cars

Feb 4, 2021
Where EV sales are now and where they may be headed, under a new administration that is expected to nudge the industry forward.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

For those who received unemployment benefits last year, a possible tax surprise

Feb 3, 2021
Millions were on unemployment at some point in 2020. A new measure in Congress proposes waiving taxes on some of that income.
People can choose to have taxes taken out of their benefits during the year, but most don’t, said Elaine Maag at the the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center.
Soulmemoria via Getty Images

How can a company like GameStop profit from stock price surges?

Feb 2, 2021
Companies can try to capitalize on a spike in stock prices by issuing new stock while the price is high.
Shares of GameStop, the original meme stock, have dropped again, though they’re still higher than they were in early 2021. 
Spencer Platt/Getty Images