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.