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. 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.
Public schools: Tate Topa Tribal School. Below: Two of its 4 schools, each with why it was picked. The 3 public schools in Fort Totten teach 633 students between them.
| 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
Of the 24 North Dakota towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who have obesity than Fort Totten. Fort Totten: 30% of adults say their health is fair or poor, above both North Dakota’s towns (16%) and U.S. towns (19%). 35% of Fort Totten adults feel lonely. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Fort Totten is ahead of North Dakota on 3 and behind on 24.
| 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
Just just over a tenth of Fort Totten’s working residents have a job in town. Only 2 of the 24 North Dakota towns we compare have a lower mean commuting time than Fort Totten. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs here rose by 226, to 301. The top destinations are Oberon (28%), Mission Township (19%) and Devils Lake (6%).
| Fort Totten | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 40% | 9.8% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 10 minutes | 16 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 39% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Count the trails in 1 park or preserve and they come to 6.7 miles. The biggest park or preserve is White Horse Hill National Game Preserve, at 957 acres. The trail density for Fort Totten comes to 0.8 miles per square mile.
| 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
Among 24 North Dakota towns, just one has a lower typical July afternoon high than Fort Totten. July afternoons reach 80° and January nights drop to -2°.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Federal disaster aid has reached households in Fort Totten after 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2011. Expected damage from storms and floods is higher here than in 58% of U.S. communities. 48% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from cold waves, followed by strong winds at 12%.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · 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)