City · North Dakota
Fessenden, North Dakota
Fessenden, city, in Wells County, North Dakota. Fessenden had 437 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 5.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 462 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 433 (±118). GEOID 3826180.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
437
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 462 · ACS 2020-2024: 433 ±118
Median household income
$65,962
±$2,547 (90% margin)
North Dakota: $76,657
Median home value
$70,900
±$7,506 (90% margin)
North Dakota: $249,900
Median gross rent
$547
±$238 (90% margin)
North Dakota: $954
Where is Fessenden and what county is it in?
Fessenden is a city in Wells County, North Dakota. It covers 0.4 square miles of land, 1,048 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Fessenden, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 437 people lived in Fessenden on July 1, 2025, down 5.6% since 2020, while North Dakota grew 2.6%. The 2020 Census counted 462 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 433 (±118).
| Measure | Fessenden | Wells County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 433 ±118 | 3,890 | no clear change |
| Households | 236 ±69 | 1,787 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.81 ±0.29 | 2.12 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 299 ±67 | 2,209 | no clear change |
Fessenden's population since 2000
From 625 in 2000 to 437 in 2025: down 30.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Fessenden as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Fessenden?
The median resident of Fessenden is 42.1 years old; 25.2% are under 18 and 18.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.8%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.9%.
| Measure | Fessenden | Wells County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.1 ±9.0 | 46.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.2% ±8.4 pts | 23.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.5% ±6.5 pts | 26.7% | – |
| Male | 49.9% ±8.5 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.7% ±1.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.8% ±6.1 pts | 95.1% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.4% ±2.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.9% ±4.6 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.1% ±2.4 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.9% ±4.6 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.3% ±4.7 pts | 7.1% | – |
| With a disability | 8.3% ±3.5 pts | 11.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.2% ±4.1 pts | 3.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.6% ±5.0 pts | 92.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 20.3% ±6.7 pts | 21.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.1% ±4.4 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.7% ±4.7 pts | 88.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.2% ±0.7 pts | 4.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Fessenden earn?
Half of Fessenden's 236 households earn less than $65,962 a year (±$2,547), against $66,114 in Wells County and $76,657 in North Dakota. In 2015-2019 it was $59,227 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 21.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Fessenden | Wells County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $65,962 ±$2,547 | $66,114 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $78,911 ±$12,912 | $96,130 | – |
| Per capita income | $40,672 ±$9,477 | $44,681 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 21.2% ±12.5 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 45.9% ±24.1 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 3.4% ±3.6 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.1% ±4.6 pts | 93.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.7% ±5.2 pts | 82.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Fessenden?
Owners occupy 77.5% of Fessenden's occupied homes and renters 22.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $70,900 by its owner (±$7,506). The median renter pays $547 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Fessenden | Wells County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $70,900 ±$7,506 | $114,500 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $547 ±$238 | $648 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 25.5% ±19.0 pts | 28.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $987 ±$102 | $1,374 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 77.5% ±9.6 pts | 77.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 22.5% ±9.6 pts | 22.9% | – |
| Housing units | 299 ±67 | 2,209 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 5.5% ±5.9 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±35.4 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 88.0% ±6.1 pts | 77.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.7% ±2.4 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±8.0 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±8.0 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 26.1% ±10.5 pts | 19.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.4% ±3.0 pts | 4.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Fessenden building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Fessenden in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 3.1 across North Dakota.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Fessenden work and get to work?
63.7% of Fessenden's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 10.4 minutes.
| Measure | Fessenden | Wells County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 71.6% ±10.1 pts | 59.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.1% ±2.9 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 63.7% ±13.2 pts | 65.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.2% ±4.8 pts | 11.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±10.5 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Walked | 22.6% ±13.5 pts | 11.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.2% ±5.7 pts | 10.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 10.4 min ±2.4 | 14.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Fessenden?
No census tract lies mostly in Fessenden; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9600Wells County | 2,155 | $80,096 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Fessenden) · Census block assignment files
How does Fessenden compare with other places in North Dakota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Fessenden is the 13,751st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 99th-most populous of 355 in North Dakota.
Fessenden is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 99th | 355 |
Fessenden's figures with every place in North Dakota (CSV)
Every place in North Dakota, sortable · Compare Fessenden with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Fessenden?
25 of the 57 figures for Fessenden on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Fessenden are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Fessenden.