Fort Benton · National Register of Historic Places
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8 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
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Fort BentonMT
A town of 1,474. Public schools that outperform most of Montana.
Photo: J.B. Chandler · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,474
−1% since 2010
Typical home
$297K
+8.9% in a year
Household income
$67K
median
Median age
42.7
years
Jobs based here
540
Balanced
What makes Fort Benton stand out
The 3 things Fort Benton does most differently from other towns.
Small town
1,474 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Fort Benton’s report card
Now in Fort Benton
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Fort Benton? Is an A+ for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Fort Benton’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Local news
All →- Chinook vs Fort Benton - Girls Freshman Volleyball 10/01/2026 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 29
- Chinook vs Fort Benton - Boys Middle School Football 10/02/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 29
- Shelby vs Fort Benton - Girls Freshman Volleyball 10/13/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 27
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Fort Benton. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Fort Benton’s public schools outperform 95% of Montana districts
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.
A+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Benton School | PK–6 | 162 | A+ |
| Fort Benton 7-8 | 7–8 | 44 | A |
| Fort Benton High School | 9–12 | 112 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MT on state testsAll 3 schools →
Housing
A typical Fort Benton home is worth about $297K
The typical Fort Benton home is worth about $297,000, up 8.9% in a year, 37% below the Montana typical home.
$297KZillow home value
Typical home value
Fort Benton$297K
Montana$472K
+8.9%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Natural hazards
Very high risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 80% of U.S. communities.
80risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesAvalanches
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Outdoors
18.3% of Fort Benton is conserved land
5.8 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves.
18.3%conserved
18.3%
conserved · 268 of 1,464 acres
5.8 mi
of trails · 2.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Old Fort Park | 0.1 mi | 10 |
| 2. Sunset Park | — | 10 |
| 3. Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Health
Healthier than 66% of U.S. towns
Fort Benton beats the Montana average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5.
B+Health Grade
32 measures vs. Montana
5 better22 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Fort Benton | MT |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 5.1% | 6.5% |
| Fewer adults without reliable transportation | 5.9% | 7.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.8% | 9.3% |
Missouri River Medical Center
1 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
54th
percentile among MT towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
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.
38″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–36°
Spring31–58°
Summer51–83°
Fall31–60°
Sep 22
typical first frost
May 15
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Work & commute
About one in two working residents works right in Fort Benton
44% of Fort Benton’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Great Falls (12%), Billings (3%) and Bozeman (2%). Half commute less than 18 miles.
44%work in town
Where working residents work
In Fort Benton44%
Great Falls12%
Billings3%
Bozeman2%
Helena2%
18 mi
median commute distance
540
jobs based in Fort Benton
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Safety
Crime reported in Fort Benton
Fort Benton's reported crime rate is well below Montana's. 7 violent crimes were reported in 2022.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Fort Benton4.6
Montana4.3
U.S.4
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Fort Benton3.3
Montana19.8
U.S.20
7
violent crimes reported in 2022
5
property crimes reported in 2022
FBI crime data, 2022 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Landmarks
8 places in Fort Benton on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous people from Fort Benton
9 notable people were born in Fort Benton.
D
Denise CurryAmerican basketball player · born 1959
D
Donald LynchAmerican non-fiction writer · 1915–2007G
Gene CarlsonAmerican football and baseball player and coach · 1932–2009About Fort Benton
City in Montana, United States
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.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 1,449
- Area
- 2.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,621 ft
- ZIP code
- 59442
- Area code
- 406
More about Fort Benton
Still missing for Fort Benton:archive photosupcoming events