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Borrowing Arrangements - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
 3 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Rate
Property
Mar. 31, 2014
Mar. 02, 2015
integer
Apr. 08, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Property
Mar. 25, 2015
Jan. 16, 2015
Property
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Mortgage notes payable $ 2,011,738,000us-gaap_SecuredDebt       $ 2,012,246,000us-gaap_SecuredDebt    
Weighted average interest rate 5.10%us-gaap_DebtWeightedAverageInterestRate            
Stated interest rate, minimum 3.45%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentageRateRangeMinimum            
Stated interest rate, maximum 8.87%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentageRateRangeMaximum            
Number of pledged properties 130els_NumberOfPledgedProperties       137els_NumberOfPledgedProperties    
Pledged assets, not separately reported 2,269,000,000us-gaap_PledgedAssetsNotSeparatelyReportedRealEstate       2,382,000,000us-gaap_PledgedAssetsNotSeparatelyReportedRealEstate    
New mortgage notes payable financing proceeds 395,323,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt 0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt          
Payments of debt extinguishment costs 17,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfDebtExtinguishmentCosts            
Unsecured debt 200,000,000us-gaap_UnsecuredDebt       200,000,000us-gaap_UnsecuredDebt    
Old Credit Facilities              
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Weighted average interest rate           5.58%us-gaap_DebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_OldCreditFacilitiesMember		  
Number of pledged properties             32els_NumberOfPledgedProperties
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_OldCreditFacilitiesMember
Repayments of long-term debt 370,200,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_OldCreditFacilitiesMember		            
Maximum borrowing capacity   380,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_OldCreditFacilitiesMember		          
Expiration date   Sep. 15, 2016          
Line of credit facility potential term extension period   1 year          
New Credit Facilities              
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Weighted average interest rate           3.93%us-gaap_DebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_NewCreditFacilitiesMember		  
Number of pledged properties           26els_NumberOfPledgedProperties
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_NewCreditFacilitiesMember		  
New mortgage notes payable financing proceeds 395,300,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_NewCreditFacilitiesMember		            
Debt instrument, term 21 years            
Amended Line Of Credit Facility              
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Maximum borrowing capacity 400,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_AmendedLineOfCreditFacilityMember		            
Additional borrowing capacity 100,000,000els_LineofCreditFacilityAdditionalBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_AmendedLineOfCreditFacilityMember		            
Expiration date Jul. 17, 2018            
Commitment fee amount 3,500,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeeAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_AmendedLineOfCreditFacilityMember		            
Line of credit facility potential term extension period 1 year            
Minimum              
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Debt instrument maturity year 2015            
Minimum | Old Credit Facilities              
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Debt instrument maturity year 2015            
Variable rate in addition to LIBOR rate   1.40%els_DebtInstrumentInterestAdditionalInterestAboveLondonInterbankOfferedRateRate
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_OldCreditFacilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember		          
Interest rate during period   0.25%us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityInterestRateDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_OldCreditFacilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember		          
Minimum | Amended Line Of Credit Facility              
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Variable rate in addition to LIBOR rate 1.20%els_DebtInstrumentInterestAdditionalInterestAboveLondonInterbankOfferedRateRate
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_AmendedLineOfCreditFacilityMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember		            
Interest rate during period 0.20%us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityInterestRateDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_AmendedLineOfCreditFacilityMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember		            
Maximum              
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Debt instrument maturity year 2040            
Maximum | Old Credit Facilities              
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Debt instrument maturity year 2016            
Variable rate in addition to LIBOR rate   2.00%els_DebtInstrumentInterestAdditionalInterestAboveLondonInterbankOfferedRateRate
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_OldCreditFacilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember		          
Interest rate during period   0.40%us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityInterestRateDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_OldCreditFacilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember		          
Maximum | Amended Line Of Credit Facility              
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Variable rate in addition to LIBOR rate 1.65%els_DebtInstrumentInterestAdditionalInterestAboveLondonInterbankOfferedRateRate
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_AmendedLineOfCreditFacilityMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember		            
Interest rate during period 0.35%us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityInterestRateDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_AmendedLineOfCreditFacilityMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember		            
Term Loans | Old Credit Facilities              
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Unsecured debt   200,000,000us-gaap_UnsecuredDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_OldCreditFacilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LoansPayableMember		          
Maturity date   Jun. 30, 2017          
Maturity years   3 years          
Start date to repay debt without penalty on prepayment   Jul. 01, 2014          
Maturity date   Jul. 01, 2014          
Term Loans | New Credit Facilities              
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Unsecured debt 200,000,000us-gaap_UnsecuredDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_NewCreditFacilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LoansPayableMember		            
Maturity date Jan. 10, 2020            
Maturity years 3 years            
Term Loans | Minimum | Old Credit Facilities              
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Variable rate in addition to LIBOR rate   1.85%els_DebtInstrumentInterestAdditionalInterestAboveLondonInterbankOfferedRateRate
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_OldCreditFacilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LoansPayableMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember		          
Term Loans | Minimum | New Credit Facilities              
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Variable rate in addition to LIBOR rate 1.35%els_DebtInstrumentInterestAdditionalInterestAboveLondonInterbankOfferedRateRate
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_NewCreditFacilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LoansPayableMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember		            
Term Loans | Maximum | Old Credit Facilities              
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Variable rate in addition to LIBOR rate   2.80%els_DebtInstrumentInterestAdditionalInterestAboveLondonInterbankOfferedRateRate
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_OldCreditFacilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LoansPayableMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember		          
Term Loans | Maximum | New Credit Facilities              
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Variable rate in addition to LIBOR rate 1.95%els_DebtInstrumentInterestAdditionalInterestAboveLondonInterbankOfferedRateRate
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_NewCreditFacilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LoansPayableMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember		            
Manufactured homes | Old Credit Facilities              
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Repayments of long-term debt     13,300,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_OldCreditFacilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis
= els_ManufacturedHomeMember		        
Number of loans     1us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateNumberOfLoans
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_OldCreditFacilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis
= els_ManufacturedHomeMember		        
Stated interest rate     5.20%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_OldCreditFacilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis
= els_ManufacturedHomeMember		        
Subsequent Event | R V Resort | Old Credit Facilities              
Debt Instrument [Line Items]              
Number of pledged properties       3els_NumberOfPledgedProperties
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_OldCreditFacilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis
= els_RVResortMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		      
Repayments of long-term debt       $ 35,400,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_OldCreditFacilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis
= els_RVResortMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember		      
Stated interest rate       5.93%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= els_OldCreditFacilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis
= els_RVResortMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember