Fort Benton is a city in and the county seat of Chouteau County, Montana, United States. Established in 1846, Fort Benton is the oldest continuously occupied settlement in Montana. Fort Benton was the most upstream navigable port on the Mississippi River System, and is considered "the world’s innermost port". The city's waterfront area, the most important aspect of its 19th century growth, was designated the Fort Benton Historic District, a National Historic Landmark, in 1961. The population was 1,449 at the 2020 census.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Town numbers

ZIP code59442

Area code406

Living in Fort Benton

Housing in Fort Benton

$297K▲ 8.9% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Fort Benton home is worth about $297,000, up 8.9% in a year, 37% below the Montana typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Fort Benton

—

Not graded

A grade needs all of the FBI's latest years (2023–2025). Fort Benton's police department reported none of them, so we don't grade it yet. The figures below are still real.

Violent crime per 1,000

Fort Benton 4.6

Montana 4.3

U.S. 4

Property crime per 1,000

Fort Benton 3.3

Montana 19.8

U.S. 20

FBI crime data, 2022 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Health in Fort Benton

B⁺

Health Grade B+

Healthier than 66% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 86% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Montana

5better than MT·5worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 22 are too close to call.

Conditions 5▼ 7 close Habits all close Care 3▲ 4 close Mind all close Everyday needs 2▲ 2 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

5.1%Fewer adults facing a utility shut-offMT 6.5% · better 5.9%Fewer adults without reliable transportationMT 7.5% · better 11.8%More adults who have had cancerMT 9.3% · worse

Care nearby

Missouri River Medical CenterFort Benton · 1 mi · ER · rural critical access

Community Health Care Center, Alliance for Youth Resource CenterGreat Falls · 36.2 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Fort Benton · CMS · HRSAHealth in Fort Benton →

Natural hazards in Fort Benton

Very high

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 80% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🥶 Cold waves🏔️ Avalanches

0Does Fort Benton flood?no paid flood claims on record 1Disasters that paid out herefederal disaster sent FEMA money to Fort Benton MapFort Benton vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Fort Benton →

Climate in Fort Benton

Full climate →

Fort Benton has cold, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 10°, and about 38 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

36° / 12°Winter

58° / 31°Spring

83° / 51°Summer

60° / 31°Fall

How much snow does Fort Benton get?About 38 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Sep 22, with the last in spring around May 15.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.4° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Fort Benton →

Schools in Fort Benton

All Fort Benton schools →

A⁺

School Grade A+

The public schools Fort Benton’s kids attend outperform 95% of Montana’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

DistrictFort Benton ElemSchools3

Fort Benton School A+Elementary · Grades PK–6 · 162 students Fort Benton 7-8 AMiddle · Grades 7–8 · 44 students Fort Benton High School A-High · Grades 9–12 · 112 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results, graded within MT. Ratings are from neighbors.