Net Income Per Common Share and Net Income Per Common Unit (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2024	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2024	Jun. 30, 2023
Basic:
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 92,914	$ 99,620	$ 365,645	$ 253,152
Weighted average common shares/units (in shares)	64,209,878	64,182,555	64,207,482	64,319,783
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.45	$ 1.55	$ 5.69	$ 3.94
Diluted:
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders	$ 92,914	$ 99,620	$ 365,645	$ 253,152
Income from continuing operations available to common stockholders (in shares)	64,227,651	64,183,675	64,218,911	64,320,898
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.45	$ 1.55	$ 5.69	$ 3.94
Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Basic:
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 96,184	$ 103,126	$ 378,514	$ 262,062
Weighted average common shares/units (in shares)	66,468,691	66,442,994	66,466,295	66,582,934
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.45	$ 1.55	$ 5.69	$ 3.94
Diluted:
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders	$ 96,184	$ 103,126	$ 378,514	$ 262,062
Income from continuing operations available to common stockholders (in shares)	66,486,464	66,444,114	66,477,724	66,584,049
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.45	$ 1.55	$ 5.69	$ 3.94
Stock options
Basic:
Income effect of dilutive securities	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	17,773	1,120	11,429	1,115
Diluted:
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share, amount (in shares)	326,199
Stock options | Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Basic:
Income effect of dilutive securities	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	17,773	1,120	11,429	1,115
Diluted:
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share, amount (in shares)	326,199	505,037	396,519	490,970
Convertible units
Diluted:
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share, amount (in shares)	2,258,812	2,260,439	2,258,812	2,263,151
Income allocated to convertible OP Units	$ 3,300	$ 3,500	$ 12,900	$ 8,900