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Organization and Basis of Presentation - Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Summary (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]  
Balance at beginning $ (56,003)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCumulativeChangesInNetGainLossFromCashFlowHedgesEffectNetOfTax
Balance at the end (57,292)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCumulativeChangesInNetGainLossFromCashFlowHedgesEffectNetOfTax
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Available-for-sale Securities Change In Unrealized Gain (Loss) During Period [Roll Forward]  
Balance at beginning 4,551us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentNotCreditLossNetOfTaxAvailableforsaleDebtSecurities
Change in fair value of marketable securities 1,934us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedHoldingGainLossOnSecuritiesArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax
Balance at the end 6,424us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentNotCreditLossNetOfTaxAvailableforsaleDebtSecurities
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]  
Balance at beginning (51,452)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
Other comprehensive income before reclassification (1,338)ess_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeReclassification
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss 1,922ess_AmountsReclassifiedFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveLoss
Net other comprehensive income 584us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent
Balance at the end (50,868)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
Essex Portfolio, L.P. [Member]  
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]  
Balance at beginning (53,980)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCumulativeChangesInNetGainLossFromCashFlowHedgesEffectNetOfTax
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Balance at the end (55,315)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCumulativeChangesInNetGainLossFromCashFlowHedgesEffectNetOfTax
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Available-for-sale Securities Change In Unrealized Gain (Loss) During Period [Roll Forward]  
Balance at beginning 4,624us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentNotCreditLossNetOfTaxAvailableforsaleDebtSecurities
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Change in fair value of marketable securities 1,934us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedHoldingGainLossOnSecuritiesArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Balance at the end 6,558us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentNotCreditLossNetOfTaxAvailableforsaleDebtSecurities
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]  
Balance at beginning (49,356)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Other comprehensive income before reclassification (1,323)ess_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeReclassification
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss 1,922ess_AmountsReclassifiedFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveLoss
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Net other comprehensive income 599us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Balance at the end (48,757)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]  
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]  
Other comprehensive income before reclassification (3,211)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedGainLossOnDerivativesArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss 1,922us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIOnDerivativesNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
Net other comprehensive income (1,289)ess_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossDerivativesQualifyingAsHedgesAociNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Available-for-sale Securities Change In Unrealized Gain (Loss) During Period [Roll Forward]  
Change in fair value of marketable securities 1,873us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedHoldingGainLossOnSecuritiesArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss 0ess_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentForSaleOfSecuritiesIncludedInNetIncomeAociNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
Net other comprehensive income 1,873us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAvailableForSaleSecuritiesAdjustmentNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] | Essex Portfolio, L.P. [Member]  
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]  
Other comprehensive income before reclassification (3,257)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedGainLossOnDerivativesArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss 1,922us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIOnDerivativesNetOfTax
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
Net other comprehensive income (1,335)ess_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossDerivativesQualifyingAsHedgesAociNetOfTax
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Available-for-sale Securities Change In Unrealized Gain (Loss) During Period [Roll Forward]  
Change in fair value of marketable securities 1,934us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedHoldingGainLossOnSecuritiesArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss 0ess_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentForSaleOfSecuritiesIncludedInNetIncomeAociNetOfTax
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
Net other comprehensive income $ 1,934us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAvailableForSaleSecuritiesAdjustmentNetOfTax
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember