The Town FilesKeener, North Carolina
Community in Sampson County · population 540 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $139,200
- Household income
- $39,299
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 29.5
Keener is a community of 540 people in Sampson County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $139,200, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks more of a college town than 93% of North Carolina towns.
How Keener ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Keener is worth $139,200, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $39,299, which is more affordable than 62% of North Carolina towns. 53.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Keener | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $139,200 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | — | $969 |
| Median household income | $39,299 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 53.4% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Keener
| People | Keener | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.5 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.0% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 28.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.0% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.0% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 8.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 70.1% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | — min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.0% | 89.5% |
Weather in Keener
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 32.1°F. About 51.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.8 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 49 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 58 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Keener since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 28, 1984 about 7.3 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 10 deaths and 191 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on January 3, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on October 1, 2008.
Severe weather in Sampson County since 1996
Sampson County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| August 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
| March 3, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4588: Tropical Storm Eta |
Jobs and pay in Sampson County
Sampson County had 17,090 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,873 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Keener itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Keener
- Clinton, NC8.5 mi · 8,383 people · home $212,000
- Faison, NC9.2 mi · 784 people · home $104,200
- Newton Grove, NC9.5 mi · 585 people · home $149,600
- Spivey's Corner, NC11.7 mi · 576 people · home $85,400
- Mount Olive, NC14.2 mi · 4,198 people · home $153,500
- Warsaw, NC14.3 mi · 2,733 people · home $112,500
- Roseboro, NC16.7 mi · 1,163 people · home $130,300
- Plain View, NC17.1 mi · 1,923 people · home $200,900
Keener questions
Is Keener, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Keener scores better for retirees than 7% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 20%. 28.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.5).
How much does a house cost in Keener?
The median owner-occupied home in Keener is valued at $139,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $39,299, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Keener?
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 32.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.0 inches of precipitation a year and 1.8 inches of snow.
Does Keener get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Keener since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 28, 1984. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- 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)