Keene, Texas
Inside Keene's city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 42% of mapped land, higher than 51% of Texas cities. A shallow water table limits basements on 16%, the 4th-highest of 13 cities in Johnson County.
That clay share is below Johnson County's 51%. FEMA's flood data list 3 flood losses since 2016 in the 3 ZIP codes overlapping the city. Of its 2,697 homes, 33% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1985.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Johnson County
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
flood losses since 2016 in 3 overlapping ZIPs
of homes built before 1980
Foundation repair in Keene
Foundation repair in Keene: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 42% of Keene's mapped land, more than in 51% of Texas cities.
About 1,300 of Keene's 2,697 homes are detached houses.
| Who designs the repair | The ASCE Texas Section's repair guidelines say a Texas-licensed engineer should evaluate the foundation and design the repair (2022 guidelines) |
| Prices | Cost guide ranges compared |
Soil under Keene city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 42.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 15.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 61.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 6.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 57.9% |
| Mapped soil | 3,447 acres |
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 6.5% by land area here, and 58% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 42% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of Johnson County is in drought on the latest map, and 42% of Keene's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 16% of Keene's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 62% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in Johnson County
100% of Johnson County is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. County detail.
Flood losses by ZIP code
FEMA flood records since 2016 in the ZIP codes that overlap Keene. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 76059 | 44% | 1 | $0 |
| 76031 | 41% | 2 | $45,047 |
| 76009 | 16% | 0 | $0 |
Homes in Keene
| Housing units | 2,697 |
| Median year built | 1985 |
| Built before 1980 | 33% |
| Built 2000 or later | 22% |
| Owner-occupied | 51% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $225,300 |
| Single-family detached | 47% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coyote Flats | 3 mi | 78% | 1% |
| Joshua | 6 mi | 46% | 16% |
| Cleburne | 6 mi | 52% | 3% |
| Cross Timber | 6 mi | 20% | 25% |
| Alvarado | 7 mi | 74% | 1% |
| Briaroaks | 7 mi | 44% | 19% |
| Burleson | 8 mi | 61% | 7% |
| Rio Vista | 11 mi | 21% | 0% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 5, 2026) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status