Debt - Debt Summary Footnotes (Details)	1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	May 31, 2024 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2024 USD ($) extension_option instrument	Mar. 31, 2024 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2023 USD ($)
Lines of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate borrowing capacity		$ 75,000,000
Bonds public offering - fixed rate, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized discount (premium), net		6,200,000		$ 6,100,000
Unamortized debt issuance expense		25,900,000		25,300,000
Bonds public offering - fixed rate, net | Unsecured Bonds 5.500%, Due March 2028 | Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount			$ 350,000,000
Interest rate			5.50%
Debt instrument, debt offering price, percentage of principal			99.752%
Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, repaid, principal	$ 400,000,000
Lines of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized debt issuance expense		$ 3,200,000		3,800,000
Number of lines of unsecured credit (in instruments) | instrument		2
Aggregate borrowing capacity		$ 1,240,000,000
Debt Instrument, Variable Interest Rate, Type [Extensible Enumeration]		Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) [Member]
Basis spread on variable rate		0.765%
Number of extension options (in extensions) | extension_option		2
Extension period		6 months
Lines of credit | Working capital line of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate borrowing capacity		$ 35,000,000.0
Basis spread on variable rate		0.765%
Mortgage notes payable, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized discount (premium), net		$ 100,000		500,000
Unamortized debt issuance expense		$ 2,800,000		$ 3,100,000