Net Income Per Common Share and Net Income Per Common Unit - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2026	Mar. 31, 2025
Convertible units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share, amount (in shares)	2,226,996	2,306,953
Income allocated to convertible OP Units	$ 3.7	$ 7.3
Stock options
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share, amount (in shares)	321,707	177,196
Stock options \| Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share, amount (in shares)	321,707	177,196

Securities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) or earnings per unit (EPU) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS or EPU because to do so would increase EPS or EPU amounts or decrease loss per share or unit amounts for the period presented.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 260
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482662/260-10-50-1

+ Details

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

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of undistributed earnings (loss) allocated to participating securities for the basic earnings (loss) per share or per unit calculation under the two-class method.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 480
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481679/480-10-45-4

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 260
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 65
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482689/260-10-45-65

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 260
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 66
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482689/260-10-45-66

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 260
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 60B
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482689/260-10-45-60B

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareByAntidilutiveSecuritiesAxis=ess_ConvertibleLimitedPartnershipUnitsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareByAntidilutiveSecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=ess_EssexPortfolioL.P.Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: