Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,038, settled in 1868.
The best of Fort Totten’s subject grades is a B for history; the weakest is a D− for incomes. 40% of residents live below the poverty line in Fort Totten, where North Dakota’s towns sit at 9.8% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. No town in North Dakota scores lower than Fort Totten on incomes. Fort Totten's schools rank among the lowest in North Dakota on tests and graduation. 21% of the land in Fort Totten is conserved, above both the North Dakota town median (2.8%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). Fort Totten is home to Cankdeska Cikana Community College. Fort Totten has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Fort Totten beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| College | Students |
|---|---|
| Cankdeska Cikana Community College | 115 |
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Tate Topa Tribal School | K–8 | 458 |
| Four Winds Community High School | 9–12 | 159 |
| Four Winds Community PK School | PK | 16 |
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Dakota), ordered by how far Fort Totten is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 867 in 1990, 1,160 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 1879 and 5 maps from 1928 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Fort Totten is unincorporated, so Benson County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Jul 30, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Fort Totten.
Its public schools are run by Tate Topa Tribal School. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tate Topa Tribal SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 458 | – |
| Four Winds Community High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 159 | D− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within ND on state tests and graduation
30% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Fort Totten. Of the 24 North Dakota towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Fort Totten. 17% of adults report frequent physical distress in Fort Totten.
| Fort Totten | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 16% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 15% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 33% | 36% |
| What stands out | Fort Totten | ND |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4% | 8.2% |
| Fewer adults with high cholesterol | 28.9% | 33.8% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 36.9% | 10.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Most working residents leave Fort Totten for work: only 12% work in town. Fort Totten’s average trip to work is 10 minutes. Since 2013, Fort Totten has added 226 jobs, to 301 in 2023.
| Fort Totten | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 10 minutes | 16 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 39% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
6.7 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. The biggest park or preserve is White Horse Hill National Game Preserve, at 957 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. White Horse Hill National Game Preserve | 0.9 mi | 957 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Fort Totten has cold winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. The July high in Fort Totten is 80°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 58% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
2 within 15 miles of the center of Fort Totten
About 3 of every 100 Fort Totten residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across North Dakota.
Where Fort Totten’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
CDP in North Dakota, United States
Fort Totten is a census-designated place (CDP) in Benson County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 1,160 at the 2020 census. Fort Totten is located within the Spirit Lake Reservation and is the site of tribal headquarters. The reservation has a total population estimated at 6,000. Although not formally incorporated as a city, Fort Totten has the largest population of any community in Benson County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)