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North Carolina›Sampson County
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KeenerNC

271 people live in this town, settled in 1886.

Population
271
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$139K
Census ACS
Household income
$39K
median
Median age
29.5
years
Jobs based here
116
A commuter town

Is Keener a good place to live?

Keener’s median household income is $39,000, below both the North Carolina town median ($69,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). Keener has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

271 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Clinton · 9 miFaison · 9 miNewton Grove · 10 miTurkey · 11 miCalypso · 11 miSalemburg · 14 mi
Getting set up

Moving to Keener: who provides what

Keener is unincorporated, so Sampson County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerSouth River Elec Member14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet5 providers88% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesSampson CountySampson County provides services here
SchoolsSampson County SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn North Carolina you can register online until 25 days before Election Day, in person with same-day registration during the early voting period, or by mail (postmarked 25 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereSampson County Board of ElectionsSampson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2025
ZIP code2832828328 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Keener.

Natural hazards

Natural hazards: very high risk in Keener, mostly hurricanes

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 81% of U.S. communities.

81risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
81Very high riskLowerHigher
HurricanesInland floodingStrong wind
Full pageKeener’s hazards pageOpen the full Hazards page
What it facesVery high riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters19 disaster declarations · Declared for the countyGet ready0.3 events a year, on average · Ready for hurricanes

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Work & commute

Most of Keener’s workers commute out: the town has 0.4 jobs for each of them

For half of commuters, work is under 27 miles away. Keener had 116 jobs in 2023, up 106 from 2013. The top destinations are Clinton (13%), Raleigh (5%) and Newton Grove (4%).

0%work in town

Where working residents work

In Keener0%
Clinton13%
Raleigh5%
Newton Grove4%
Fayetteville4%
27 mi
median commute distance
116
jobs based in Keener
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Full pageKeener’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page
The jobs here116 jobs based here · A commuter townWhere people work0% work in KeenerCommute timesCommute timesHow far they goHalf commute less than 27 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

Keener has mild winters and hot summers

The peak summer temperature here in Keener is 90°F.

2″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter34–56°
Spring49–73°
Summer68–88°
Fall51–74°
Nov 7
typical first frost
Mar 26
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageKeener’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page
A year of weatherJuly highs 90°, January lows 32°Rain & snow2″ of snow a winter · 50 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingBoth heating and coolingThen and now+0.8° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

More of Keener’s adults have been diagnosed with depression than in the typical North Carolina or U.S. town

In Keener, 17% of adults report frequent physical distress, and 20% smoke cigarettes. Only 9 of the 290 North Carolina towns we compare have a higher share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Keener. For adults locally, the share who have obesity is 42%.

KeenerTypical North Carolina townTypical U.S. town
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)27%19%19%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)17%13%14%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)20%14%14%
No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES)17%10%8.1%
32 measures vs. North Carolina
0 better15 too close to call17 worse
What stands outKeenerNC
More uninsured adults16.9%10.4%
More adults facing food insecurity24.2%15.2%
More adults facing a utility shut-off12.1%8.1%
Sampson Regional Medical Center
7.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
Full pageKeener’s health reportOpen the full Health report
Everyday habitsMore smokersHospitals & doctors nearby7.9 miles to an ER · Sampson Regional Medical CenterHow adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor healthEvery CDC estimateBetter than NC on 0 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Outdoors

0% of Keener is conserved land

1.5 miles of trail. For Keener, the concentration of trails is 0.1 miles per square mile.

0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 7,126 acres
1.5 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
Full pageKeener’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page
Trail map1.5 miles of trail, mappedPick a walkPick a walkConserved land0% conserved · 0 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in Keener?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Keener

16pages on Keener
The big questions
HealthBetter than NC on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingWork & commute$39K median household income · 116 jobs hereNatural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 81% of U.S. communities · hurricanes
Out and about
Outdoors2 mi of trails · 0% conserved landPlacesAttractions19 nearby · Harper House 13 miLibraryJ.C. Holliday LibraryCollegesSampson Community College is 9.7 mi away
The story
HistorySettled 1886Climate90° summer highs · 2″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

2 within 15 miles of the center of Keener

Sampson Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Clinton9.7 mi$2,877 in-state tuitionUniversity of Mount OliveUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Mount Olive14.3 mi$27,366 tuition

About 0 of every 100 Keener residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

100% of working residents leave Keener for work

Where Keener’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

13% → Clinton Clinton 13% 5% → Raleigh Raleigh 5% 4% → Newton Grove Newton Grove 4% 4% → Fayetteville Fayetteville 4% 3% → Goldsboro Goldsboro 3% 2% → Mount Olive Mount Olive 2% Keener · 0% stay
116jobs based in Keener
0%of working residents work in town
27 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About Keener

CDP in North Carolina, United States

Keener is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sampson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 540 at the 2020 census.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
11 sq mi
Elevation
177 ft

Questions about Keener

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Keener, NC a good place to live?

Keener has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.