Knightsen is a census-designated place (CDP) in Contra Costa County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the CDP population was 1,596.
History
thumb|left|Don [[José Noriega, a wealthy Californio ranchero, was granted Rancho Los Méganos in 1835, covering all of modern Knightsen.]]
thumb|left|A [[Santa Fe Railroad charter train at Knightsen in 1968]]
Knightsen is a small, unincorporated community of 1,568 residents and 1,500 horses in far eastern Contra Costa County, California in the eastern San Francisco Bay Area closest to Oakley, California. The community was founded by George W. Knight, and its name is a portmanteau of his last name and his wife (Christina Christensen).
During the 1880s, settlers began moving in and planting the first almond trees in the area. A few dairies also sprang up. Other crops, such as apricots, grapes and alfalfa were also planted. Until the railroad was built, farmers shipped their produce via water, using Babbes Landing off Dutch Slough, near the north end of what is now Sellers Avenue.
The first buildings in Knightsen were a station house, a railroad station and a pumping plant, all belonging to the Santa Fe. After Knight's grocery, came the Lyon Brothers asparagus plant, which could ship two to four carloads of asparagus per day during the harvest season. The railroad made shipping crops much easier. Soon, six dairies were shipping an average of of milk per day. During the 1920s, Knightsen was one of the largest milk shipping points in California.<br> 1860–1870 1880-1890<br> 1900 1910 1920<br> 1930 1940 1950<br> 1960 1970 1980<br> 1990
2000 2010
| align = right
Knightsen first appeared as a census designated place in the 2000 U.S. census.
!Pop 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |Pop 2020
!% 2000
!% 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020
|-
|White alone (NH)
|578
|1,023
|style='background: #ffffe6; |883
|67.13%
|65.24%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |55.33%
|-
|Black or African American alone (NH)
|0
|13
|style='background: #ffffe6; |8
|0.00%
|0.83%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.50%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|10
|4
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1
|1.16%
|0.26%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.06%
|-
|Asian alone (NH)
|2
|27
|style='background: #ffffe6; |25
|0.23%
|1.72%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.57%
|-
|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|6
|3
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2
|0.70%
|0.19%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.13%
|-
|Other race alone (NH)
|0
|1
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4
|0.00%
|0.06%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.25%
|-
|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)
|37
|43
|style='background: #ffffe6; |86
|4.30%
|2.74%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.39%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|228
|454
|style='background: #ffffe6; |587
|26.48%
|28.95%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |36.78%
|-
|Total
|861
|1,568
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,596
|100.00%
|100.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%
|}
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Knightsen had a population of 1,596 and a population density of . The median age was 40.7 years. The age distribution was 21.9% under the age of 18, 9.3% aged 18 to 24, 23.2% aged 25 to 44, 29.9% aged 45 to 64, and 15.7% aged 65 or older. For every 100 females, there were 108.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.3 males age 18 and over.
The census reported that 100% of the population lived in households. In addition, 16.7% of residents lived in urban areas and 83.3% lived in rural areas.
There were 529 households, out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18. Of all households, 60.1% were married-couple households, 5.9% were cohabiting couple households, 16.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present, and 18.0% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. About 16.1% of households were made up of individuals, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02. There were 406 families (76.7% of all households).
Notable residents
- Jeremy Newberry: NFL player.