Debt - Schedule of Debt and Lines of Credit (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2025 USD ($) extension_option instrument	Dec. 31, 2024 USD ($) instrument	Apr. 30, 2025 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2025 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net	$ 5,870,662	$ 5,473,788
Lines of credit	0	137,945
Mortgage notes payable, net	919,590	989,884
Total debt, net	6,790,252	$ 6,601,617
Debt instrument face amount	$ 300,000
Number of lines of unsecured credit (in instruments) | instrument	2	2
Subsequent Event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured notes at maturity			$ 500,000
Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net	$ 5,870,662	$ 5,473,788
Lines of credit	0	137,945
Mortgage notes payable, net	919,590	989,884
Unsecured debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net	$ 5,870,662	$ 5,473,788
Term loan - variable rate, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted average interest rate	4.20%	4.20%
Term loan - variable rate, net | Unsecured debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Term loan - variable rate	$ 298,701	$ 298,571
Weighted average maturity	2 years 6 months
Bonds public offering - fixed rate, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized discount (premium), net	$ 1,200	(100)
Unamortized debt issuance expense	28,100	26,300
Bonds public offering - fixed rate, net | Essex Portfolio, L.P. | Subsequent Event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured notes at maturity			$ 500,000
Bonds public offering - fixed rate, net | Unsecured debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net	$ 5,571,961	5,175,217
Weighted average maturity	6 years 10 months 24 days
Bonds public offering - fixed rate, net | Unsecured Bonds 5.500%, Due March 2028 | Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount				$ 400,000
Bonds public offering - fixed rate, net | Unsecured Bonds 5.500%, Due March 2028 | Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate				5.375%
Debt instrument, debt offering price, percentage of principal				99.604%
Lines of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Lines of credit	$ 0	$ 137,945
Weighted average interest rate	5.30%	5.70%
Debt instrument face amount	$ 1,280,000	$ 1,280,000
Unamortized debt issuance expense	5,800	6,200
Aggregate borrowing capacity	$ 1,200,000
Debt instrument, variable interest rate, type [extensible enumeration]	Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) [Member]
Basis spread on variable rate	0.765%
Number of extension options (in extensions) | extension_option	2
Extension period	6 months
Lines of credit | Working capital line of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate borrowing capacity	$ 75,000
Basis spread on variable rate	0.765%
Mortgage notes payable, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage notes payable, net	$ 919,590	$ 989,884
Weighted average interest rate	4.10%	4.20%
Weighted average maturity	6 years 3 months 18 days
Unamortized discount (premium), net	$ 300	$ 200
Unamortized debt issuance expense	$ 2,400	$ 2,600
Weighted average interest rate on fixed rate unsecured bonds public offering
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted average interest rate	3.60%	3.40%