Fessenden is a city in and the county seat of Wells County, North Dakota, United States. It was founded in 1893 and is home of the Wells County Fair. The population was 462 at the 2020 census.

Official town website ↗

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

Town numbers

ZIP code58438

Area code701

Living in Fessenden

Work & commute in Fessenden

Full picture →

Most working residents leave Fessenden for work: only 19% work in town. The top destinations are Harvey (16%), Fargo (9%) and Carrington (5%). Half commute less than 23 miles.

Harvey

16%

Fargo

Carrington

Bismarck

19%Work in townlive and work in Fessenden 23 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 217Jobs based herea job hub

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Fessenden →

Health in Fessenden

Compared with North Dakota

4better than ND·9worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 19 are too close to call.

Conditions 1▲ 8▼ 3 close Habits all close Care 3▲ 4 close Mind 1▼ 4 close Everyday needs all close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

8.9%Fewer older adults who have lost all their teethND 10.8% · better 72.7%More adults screened for colon cancerND 64.9% · better 8.7%More adults with heart diseaseND 6.1% · worse

Care nearby

Smp Health St. AloisiusHarvey · 16.4 mi · ER · rural critical access

Mcclusky ClinicMcclusky · 44.1 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

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

Natural hazards in Fessenden

Low

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 36% of U.S. communities.

🥶 Cold waves🌊 Inland flooding🧊 Hail

0Does Fessenden flood?no paid flood claims on record 2Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Fessenden

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Fessenden →

Climate in Fessenden

Full climate →

Fessenden has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to -1°, and about 34 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

21° / 2°Winter

51° / 28°Spring

79° / 54°Summer

54° / 31°Fall

How much snow does Fessenden get?About 34 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Sep 28, with the last in spring around May 13.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 Fessenden →

Schools in Fessenden

All Fessenden schools →

School Grade C

The public schools Fessenden’s kids attend trail 71% of North Dakota’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.

DistrictFESSENDEN-BOWDON 25Schools2

Fessenden-Bowdon Elementary School CElementary · Grades PK–8 · 140 students Fessenden-Bowdon High School DHigh · Grades 9–12 · 56 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 ND. Ratings are from neighbors.