Name:	els_PercentageofSharesConsideredPerformanceBased
Namespace Prefix:	els_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The total fair value of shares issued during the period under a deferred compensation arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualFairValueOfSharesIssued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the fee for available but unused credit capacity under the credit facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeeAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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

- Definition

The cash outflow for purchases of and capital improvements on property, plant and equipment (capital expenditures), software, and other intangible assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period over which grantee's right to exercise award under share-based payment arrangement is no longer contingent on satisfaction of service or performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Includes, but is not limited to, combination of market, performance or service condition.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriod1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of grants made during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)(iii)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of vesting of award under share-based payment arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingRightsPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Detail information of subsequent event by type. User is expected to use existing line items from elsewhere in the taxonomy as the primary line items for this disclosure, which is further associated with dimension and member elements pertaining to a subsequent event.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_StatementScenarioAxis=srt_ScenarioForecastMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	els_AssetAcquisitionAxis=els_OkeechobeeKOARVResortMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	els_AssetAcquisitionAxis=els_MarinasMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	els_AssetAcquisitionAxis=els_MarinaSlipsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	els_AssetAcquisitionAxis=els_RVResortMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=els_A2014EquityIncentivePlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationAwardTrancheOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationAwardTrancheTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationAwardTrancheThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=els_SeniorUnsecuredTermLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Subsequent Events (Details)			2 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Subsequent Events (Details)	Feb. 09, 2021 USD ($) shares	Feb. 05, 2021 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2021 USD ($) site property	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) property shares	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) property site shares	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) property shares
Subsequent Event
Purchase price					$ 209,200,000		$ 251,700,000
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity							400,000,000.0
Commitment fee							$ 3,700,000
Forecast
Subsequent Event
Purchase price			$ 266,400,000
Okeechobee KOA RV Resort \| Forecast
Subsequent Event
Number of sites acquired \| property			740
Purchase price			$ 42,200,000
Marinas
Subsequent Event
Number of properties acquired \| property					1	11
Marinas \| Forecast
Subsequent Event
Number of properties acquired \| property			11
Slips \| Forecast
Subsequent Event
Number of properties acquired \| property			3,986
R V Resort
Subsequent Event
Number of sites acquired \| site						1,614
Purchase price						$ 58,300,000
Number of properties acquired \| property					7	4	4
R V Resort \| Forecast
Subsequent Event
Number of sites acquired \| site			181
Restricted Stock
Subsequent Event
Grants in period (in shares) \| shares					151,104	193,262	385,010
2014 Awards \| Restricted Stock
Subsequent Event
Shares categorized as vesting (percent)				50.00%
Vesting period (in years)				3 years
Shares categorized as performance based (percent)				50.00%
2014 Awards \| Restricted Stock \| Tranche One
Subsequent Event
Award vesting rights (in percentage)					33.33%
2014 Awards \| Restricted Stock \| Tranche Two
Subsequent Event
Award vesting rights (in percentage)					33.33%
2014 Awards \| Restricted Stock \| Tranche Three
Subsequent Event
Award vesting rights (in percentage)					33.33%
Subsequent Event \| Line of Credit
Subsequent Event
Commitment fee		$ 1,100,000
Subsequent Event \| Senior Unsecured Term Loan \| Line of Credit
Subsequent Event
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		$ 300,000,000.0
Stated interest rate (in percentage)		1.45%
Subsequent Event \| 2014 Awards \| Restricted Stock
Subsequent Event
Grants in period (in shares) \| shares	104,734
Shares categorized as vesting (percent)	50.00%
Share based compensation, fair market value	$ 3,300,000
Shares categorized as performance based (percent)	50.00%
Subsequent Event \| 2014 Awards \| Performance Shares
Subsequent Event
Grants in period (in shares) \| shares	17,454
Share based compensation, fair market value	$ 1,100,000