The Town FilesKeene, Texas
City in Johnson County · population 6,387 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $225,300
- Household income
- $51,695
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 58
- Median age
- 33.7
Keene is a city of 6,387 people in Johnson County, Texas. The median home is worth $225,300, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 98% of Texas towns, more of a college town than 79% of Texas towns.
How Keene ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Keene is worth $225,300, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $51,695, which is more affordable than 10% of Texas towns. Median rent is $969 a month. 50.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Keene | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $225,300 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $969 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $51,695 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.4× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 50.8% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Keene
| People | Keene | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.7 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.0% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.1% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.6% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.7% | — |
| Work from home | 6.0% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Keene
July highs average 94.8°F and January lows 33.3°F. About 37.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.8 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 105 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 41 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
58 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Keene since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 19 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 26, 1976 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 28, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 151 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 28, 2026.
Severe weather in Johnson County since 1996
Johnson County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458: Covid-19 |
| May 29, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4223: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Johnson County
Johnson County had 59,977 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,550 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Keene itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Keene
4 public schools with 1,097 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| KEENE H S | 9-12 | 367 | 10.5 |
| KEENE J H | 6-8 | 261 | 11.9 |
| KEENE EL | PK-2 | 259 | 13.6 |
| THE SUMMIT LEADERSHIP ACADEMY | 3-5 | 210 | 11.7 |
Towns near Keene
- Joshua, TX5.6 mi · 7,891 people · home $338,100
- Cleburne, TX5.9 mi · 31,352 people · home $221,100
- Alvarado, TX6.6 mi · 4,739 people · home $249,000
- Burleson, TX8.2 mi · 47,641 people · home $308,200
- The Homesteads, TX10.7 mi · 3,890 people · home $133,300
- Crowley, TX12.6 mi · 18,070 people · home $269,100
- Venus, TX12.8 mi · 4,361 people · home $270,500
- Rendon, TX13.7 mi · 13,533 people · home $362,600
Keene questions
Is Keene, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Keene scores better for retirees than 69% of Texas towns and quieter than 24%. 16.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.7).
How much does a house cost in Keene?
The median owner-occupied home in Keene is valued at $225,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,695, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $969 a month.
What is the weather like in Keene?
July highs average 94.8°F and January lows 33.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.8 inches of snow.
Does Keene get tornadoes?
58 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Keene since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 26, 1976. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)