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Keene is a city in Johnson County, Texas, located within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and near Cleburne, the county seat. With a population of 6,440 at the 2020 census, Keene is a small but distinctive community whose identity has been shaped since its founding by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The city's origins and growth are tied directly to Adventist education. Keene grew up around what became Southwestern Adventist University, a four-year, accredited institution owned and operated by the Southwestern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The university enrolls roughly 800 students on a 150-acre campus, anchoring Keene's role as a center of Adventist higher education and drawing students, faculty, and families from across the region. The university traces its roots to an earlier junior college established in the community. Keene's educational landscape extends beyond the university. The city is home to the Keene Independent School District, the Keene Adventist Elementary School, and Chisholm Trail Academy, a Seventh-day Adventist high school accredited by the Texas Education Agency and serving grades 9 through 12. This concentration of public and faith-based schools reinforces the community's identity as a place built around education and church life. As a small city in Johnson County, Keene offers a quieter, community-oriented lifestyle while remaining within reach of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Its residents benefit from the presence of the university and its associated institutions, which contribute jobs, services, and a steady population of students and staff. For households seeking a small-town, education-centered environment with metroplex access, Keene presents a distinct and enduring character.

Population 6,440

County Johnson County

Active Listings 96

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Keene in?

Keene is located in Johnson County, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The city sits near Cleburne, the county seat, in the southern reaches of the metroplex, offering metroplex access from a small-town setting.

What university is in Keene?

Keene is home to Southwestern Adventist University, a four-year, accredited institution owned by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The university enrolls about 800 students on a 150-acre campus, anchoring the community's identity as an Adventist college town.

What school district serves Keene?

Public school students in Keene attend the Keene Independent School District. The city is also home to the Keene Adventist Elementary School and Chisholm Trail Academy, a Seventh-day Adventist high school.

Is Keene part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex?

Yes. Keene is located in Johnson County within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, providing residents access to the region's employment centers, airports, and amenities while retaining a small-town, university-centered character.

City Guide

About Keene

Real Estate & Housing

Keene's housing reflects its role as a small city centered on a university and a faith community. The market consists primarily of single-family homes in a modest, small-town setting, with housing that serves a mix of families, university faculty and staff, students, and long-term residents. As a city of roughly 6,400 people in Johnson County, Keene offers a more affordable and unhurried residential environment than the larger metroplex cities, while the presence of Southwestern Adventist University and its affiliated schools supports a stable, education-oriented population.

Neighborhoods

Lifestyle in Keene

Keene's lifestyle is defined by its identity as a Seventh-day Adventist college town. The university and its associated institutions shape community rhythms, bringing students, faculty, and events into daily life, and the city's faith-anchored character fosters a close-knit, family-oriented atmosphere. Residents enjoy a small-town pace with the convenience of nearby Cleburne and access to the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex for employment and entertainment. The combination of educational institutions, church life, and a quiet residential setting gives Keene a stable, community-centered feel distinct within Johnson County.

Schools & Education

Keene offers an unusually rich educational landscape for a city of its size. Public school students attend the Keene Independent School District, while the city is also home to the Keene Adventist Elementary School and Chisholm Trail Academy, a Seventh-day Adventist high school serving grades 9 through 12. At the center of it all is Southwestern Adventist University, a four-year, accredited institution enrolling about 800 students on a 150-acre campus. This layering of public, faith-based, and higher-education institutions makes education a defining feature of the community.

Getting Around

Keene sits within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, in Johnson County near the county seat of Cleburne. Its location provides access to the regional highway network connecting residents to Cleburne, Fort Worth, and the broader metroplex for commuting and employment. While Keene itself is a small city, its position in the metroplex's southern reaches means the amenities, airports, and job centers of the larger region are within reach by car, making it a practical home base for those who value a small-town setting with metroplex connectivity.