Variable Interest Entities (Narrative) (Details) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)
Variable Interest Entity, Consolidated, Carrying Amount, Assets	$ 18.5
Variable Interest entity, number of entities	2
Investment in unconsolidated VIE	$ 178.4
Unconsolidated investment maximum exposure to loss	$ 178.4
SVVI [Member]
Number of properties securing unconsolidated variable interest entity	3
Education Property Member \| Education Reportable Operating Segment [Member]
Number of properties securing unconsolidated variable interest entity	1

Investment in unconsolidated variable interest entities

No definition available.

Name:	epr_InvestmentInUnconsolidatedVariableInterestEntities
Namespace Prefix:	epr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of properties securing unconsolidated variable interest entity

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	epr_Numberofpropertiessecuringunconsolidatedvariableinterestentity
Namespace Prefix:	epr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Variable Interest entity, number of entities

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	epr_VariableInterestentitynumberofentities
Namespace Prefix:	epr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The carrying amount of the consolidated Variable Interest Entity's assets included in the reporting entity's statement of financial position.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (bb)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64801991&loc=d3e5710-111685

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityConsolidatedCarryingAmountAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The reporting entity's maximum amount of exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with the Variable Interest Entity (VIE).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64801991&loc=d3e5728-111685

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64801991&loc=d3e5747-111685

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityEntityMaximumLossExposureAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=epr_SvviMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis=epr_EducationPropertyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=epr_EducationReportableOperatingSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: