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<PAGE> PAGE 2
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<PAGE> PAGE 3
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<PAGE> PAGE 4
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SIGNATURE BARRY FINK
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
[ARTICLE] 6
[LEGEND]
DW NATIONAL MUNICIPAL TRUST
SEMI-ANNUAL FDS
03-31-97
[/LEGEND]
[CIK] 0000920993
[NAME] DEAN WITTER NATIONAL MUNICIPAL TRUST
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
[PERIOD-TYPE] 6-MOS
[FISCAL-YEAR-END] SEP-30-1997
[PERIOD-END] MAR-31-1997
[INVESTMENTS-AT-COST] 80,667,285
[INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE] 82,678,140
[RECEIVABLES] 1,171,336
[ASSETS-OTHER] 264,487
[OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS] 0
[TOTAL-ASSETS] 84,113,963
[PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES] 0
[SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT] 0
[OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES] 240,966
[TOTAL-LIABILITIES] 240,966
[SENIOR-EQUITY] 0
[PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON] 81,876,721
[SHARES-COMMON-STOCK] 8,030,246
[SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR] 7,772,649
[ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT] 0
[OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII] 0
[ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS] (14,579)
[OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS] 0
[ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC] 2,010,855
[NET-ASSETS] 83,872,997
[DIVIDEND-INCOME] 0
[INTEREST-INCOME] 2,306,734
[OTHER-INCOME] 0
[EXPENSES-NET] 456,552
[NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME] 1,850,182
[REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT] 39,589
[APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT] (509,458)
[NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS] 1,380,313
[EQUALIZATION] 0
[DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME] (1,853,174)
[DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS] 0
[DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER] 0
[NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD] 932,585
[NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED] (770,833)
[SHARES-REINVESTED] 95,845
[NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS] 2,256,792
[ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR] 2,992
[ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR] (54,168)
[OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR] 0
[OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR] 0
[GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES] 146,237
[INTEREST-EXPENSE] 0
[GROSS-EXPENSE] 499,805
[AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS] 83,793,429
[PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN] 10.50
[PER-SHARE-NII] .23
[PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC] (0.06)
[PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND] (0.23)
[PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS] 0
[RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL] 0
[PER-SHARE-NAV-END] 10.44
[EXPENSE-RATIO] 1.09
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING] 0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE] 0
</TABLE>
