Kennard, TX Properties | Bloom 5 Real Estate

Back

Kennard is a small city in Houston County, Texas, along State Highway 7 in the East Texas Piney Woods. The 2020 census counted 272 residents, and the community's entire identity is tied to the forest that surrounds it. Kennard sits at the center of the Davy Crockett National Forest, a federally managed woodland of more than 160,000 acres that was proclaimed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936 and named for the legendary frontiersman. The forest, bordered on the northeast by the Neches River, grew out of the cut-over timberlands left by the region's early twentieth-century logging boom, when the state moved to purchase and restore depleted forestland. The national forest is Kennard's defining asset. Within it lies Ratcliff Lake, a 45-acre lake created around the site of an early sawmill and now a hub for camping, fishing, and picnicking. The forest offers miles of trails, hunting areas, and streamside recreation, drawing campers, hikers, and anglers from across East Texas. For a town of a few hundred people, that proximity to a major federal forest is unusual, and it gives Kennard an outsized role as a gateway for outdoor recreation. Daily life in Kennard is quiet and rural. Kennard Independent School District serves local students from a single K–12 campus on State Highway 7, keeping education close to home. Crockett, the Houston County seat, lies a short drive to the west for shopping and services, while Lufkin and the larger East Texas cities are within reach. Most residents own their homes, and the surrounding landscape of pines, hardwood bottoms, and forest roads defines the setting. Kennard suits those who want a small-town Piney Woods lifestyle with a national forest literally at the doorstep.

Population 272

County Houston

Active Listings 33

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Kennard, Texas?

Kennard is in Houston County, Texas, along State Highway 7 in the East Texas Piney Woods, near the county seat of Crockett. It is a small incorporated city with a population of 272 at the 2020 census.

What is Kennard, Texas known for?

Kennard is known for the Davy Crockett National Forest, which surrounds the city. The 160,000-acre forest, proclaimed in 1936, includes Ratcliff Lake and offers hiking, camping, hunting, and fishing in the East Texas woods.

What school district serves Kennard?

Kennard Independent School District serves the city with a single K–12 campus on State Highway 7 and about 270 students. The one-school district keeps students close to home and education at the center of community life.

What is there to do in Kennard?

The Davy Crockett National Forest offers hiking, camping, and hunting, while Ratcliff Lake provides fishing and swimming. The Neches River, bordering the forest to the northeast, adds paddling and bank fishing within a short drive.

City Guide

About Kennard

Real Estate & Housing

Kennard's housing stock is small and rural, made up mostly of single-family homes on large lots surrounded by pine and hardwood forest. The community has no large subdivisions, and development is limited by the surrounding national forest land. Homes range from older frame houses to newer construction and scattered manufactured homes on acreage. The setting is low-density and owner-occupied, appealing to buyers who want forest privacy, room for outdoor hobbies, and a quiet East Texas pace.

Neighborhoods

Lifestyle in Kennard

Life in Kennard is defined by the forest. Hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping in the Davy Crockett National Forest are woven into the community's routine, and Ratcliff Lake is a favorite local gathering spot. The pace is slow, and the population small, with most residents owning their homes. Daily errands run through nearby Crockett, while the school and local churches anchor community life. It is a genuinely outdoors-oriented, small-town way of living.

Schools & Education

Kennard Independent School District serves the city and surrounding area with a single K–12 campus on State Highway 7, enrolling about 270 students. The one-school district keeps students close to home and makes the school the center of community life. Like many small East Texas districts, sports and school events draw the whole town. The compact scale means teachers and families know one another, and students complete their entire public education without leaving the community.

Getting Around

State Highway 7 is Kennard's main road, running west to Crockett, the Houston County seat, and east toward Nacogdoches County and the Louisiana line. The city lies within easy driving distance of Lufkin and the larger East Texas highway network. There is no transit service, so travel is by car, and most residents drive to Crockett for shopping, medical care, and services. Forest Service roads and farm-to-market routes serve the surrounding woodland.

Parks & Recreation

The Davy Crockett National Forest is Kennard's recreation centerpiece, offering more than 160,000 acres of hiking, hunting, camping, and fishing. Ratcliff Lake, a 45-acre lake within the forest, provides developed camping, a swimming area, and fishing. The Neches River borders the forest to the northeast for paddling and bank fishing. Trails wind through the pine and hardwood stands, and the forest's recreation areas make Kennard a basecamp for East Texas outdoor recreation.

MARKET SNAPSHOT