<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
MORGAN STANLEY DEAN WITTER MUNICIPAL PREMIUM INCOME TRUST
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> MAY-31-2000
<PERIOD-END> MAY-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 306,222,117
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 298,796,887
<RECEIVABLES> 5,935,820
<ASSETS-OTHER> 192,924
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 5,798
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 304,931,429
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> (4,082,400)
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> (593,470)
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> (4,675,870)
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 100,000,000
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 206,807,564
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 22,048,248
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 23,585,024
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 2,330,691
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (1,457,466)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (7,425,230)
<NET-ASSETS> 300,255,559
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 18,371,770
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> (2,722,736)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 15,649,034
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (1,457,465)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (20,713,171)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> (6,521,602)
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (15,831,248)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (1,623,826)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0
<SHARES-REINVESTED> (1,536,776)
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (36,240,207)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 2,512,905
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 1,623,825
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> (1,258,323)
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> (2,740,126)
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 212,861,788
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.03
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.68
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.87)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.69)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (0.07)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 9.08
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.28
</TABLE>
