Real Estate Investments - Co-Investments (Details) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2024 apartment community	Mar. 31, 2024 community apartment	Sep. 30, 2024 apartment	Dec. 31, 2024 USD ($) community	Jul. 31, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023 USD ($)
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Co-investments				$ 855,741		$ 996,245
Distributions in excess of investments in co-investments				$ 79,273		65,488
Apartment communities owned (in communities) | community				255
Patina at Midtown
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Joint venture ownership percent			49.90%		49.90%
Apartment Homes | apartment			269
Century Towers
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Joint venture ownership percent			50.00%
Apartment Homes | apartment			376
Total operating and other co-investments, net
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Co-investments				$ 379,463		437,378
Wesco I, Wesco III, Wesco IV, Wesco V and Wesco VI
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Weighted Average Essex Ownership Percentage				54.00%
Co-investments				$ 147,232		144,766
BEXAEW, BEX II, BEX IV, and 500 Folsom
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Weighted Average Essex Ownership Percentage				50.00%
Co-investments				$ 146,142		224,119
Other
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Weighted Average Essex Ownership Percentage				53.00%
Co-investments				$ 86,089		68,493
Distributions in excess of investments in co-investments				$ 2,000		3,700
Total development co-investments
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Weighted Average Essex Ownership Percentage				0.00%
Co-investments				$ 0		14,605
Total preferred interest co-investments
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Co-investments				476,278		544,262
Total preferred interest co-investments | Investments in Majority-Owned Subsidiaries
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Co-investments				48,100		42,700
Wesco I, Wesco III, and Wesco IV
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Distributions in excess of investments in co-investments				$ 77,200		$ 61,800
Membership Interest in BEXAEW
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Weighted Average Essex Ownership Percentage		49.90%
Apartment communities owned (in communities) | community		4
Apartment Homes | apartment		1,480
BEX II LLC
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Weighted Average Essex Ownership Percentage	49.90%
Apartment communities owned (in communities) | community	4
Apartment Homes | apartment	871