EQUITY OFFERINGS (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended									9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2024		Jun. 30, 2024		Mar. 31, 2024		Sep. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2023	Mar. 31, 2023	Sep. 30, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Equity Offerings [Line Items]
Issuance of shares of common stock		540,252		639,299		272,342		953,070	1,065,678	652,909
Forward Equity Offering Activity [Roll Forward]
Forward Sale Agreements Outstanding		1,399,163		600,053		420,370					1,399,163	406,041
Forward Sale Agreements Outstanding, price per share		$ 181.76		$ 166.65		$ 182.79					$ 181.76	$ 183.92
Forward Sale Agreements Outstanding, value		$ 254,306		$ 100,000		$ 76,839					$ 254,306	$ 74,679
Forward sale agreements settled, shares		(300,502)	[1]	(420,370)	[2]	(272,342)	[3]
Forward sale agreements settled, price per share		$ 166.39	[1]	$ 182.79	[2]	$ 183.59	[3]
Forward sale agreements settled, gross proceeds		$ (50,000)	[1]	$ (76,839)	[2]	$ (50,000)	[3]
Forward sale agreements settled, net proceeds		$ 49,582		$ 76,200		$ 49,364
New forward sale agreements, shares	[4]	1,099,612		600,053		286,671
New forward sale agreements, price per share	[4]	$ 185.80		$ 166.65		$ 181.95
New forward sale agreements, value	[4]	$ 204,306		$ 100,000		$ 52,160
ATM Program - December 2022
Equity Offerings [Line Items]
At-the-market program, maximum aggregate gross sales price												750,000
Gross Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock												$ 464,305
ATM Program - October 2023
Equity Offerings [Line Items]
At-the-market program, maximum aggregate gross sales price											$ 750,000
Direct common stock issuances
Equity Offerings [Line Items]
Issuance of shares of common stock	[5]	239,750		218,929		0					458,679	4,094,896
Sale of stock, weighted average price per share		$ 179.74		$ 168.62		$ 0					$ 174.43	$ 170.77
Gross Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock		$ 43,093		$ 36,916		$ 0					$ 80,009	$ 699,304
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock		$ 42,663		$ 36,547		$ 0					$ 79,210	$ 692,312

[1] EastGroup settled outstanding forward equity sale agreements by issuing 300,502 shares of common stock in exchange for net proceeds of approximately $49,582,000

[2] EastGroup settled outstanding forward equity sale agreements by issuing 420,370 shares of common stock in exchange for net proceeds of approximately $76,200,000.

[3] EastGroup settled outstanding forward equity sale agreements by issuing 272,342 shares of common stock in exchange for net proceeds of approximately $49,364,000.

[4] The Company did not receive any proceeds from the sale of common shares by the forward counterparties at the time it entered into forward sale agreements.

[5] Excludes shares of common stock sold on a forward basis as described below.