WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0001048702
<NAME> Nationwide Mutual Fund Trust
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 53
<NAME> Nationwide Tax Free Income Fund Class D
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> 31-Oct-00
<PERIOD-START> 31-Oct-99
<PERIOD-END> 31-Oct-00
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 205987239
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 209181003
<RECEIVABLES> 3928745
<ASSETS-OTHER> 193063
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 213302811
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 1113558
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 1113558
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 210232123
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 20372857
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 23124925
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 121253
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 1357887
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 3193764
<NET-ASSETS> 212189253
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 13221362
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 1575898
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 11645464
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (233249)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 5455447
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 16867662
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 11344311
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 783033
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 4280848
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 745747
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (20209958)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 144260
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 1131007
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1093502
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 1575898
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 212121166
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 9.78
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.53
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.25
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.53
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.00
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 10.03
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.70
</TABLE>