Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Revenues:
Rental and other property	$ 294,101	$ 256,952	$ 574,330	$ 416,302
Management and other fees from affiliates	2,061	2,836	4,705	4,495
Total revenues	296,162	259,788	579,035	420,797
Expenses:
Property operating, excluding real estate taxes	57,400	53,213	113,019	90,180
Real estate taxes	32,677	30,345	64,229	45,684
Depreciation and amortization	113,731	101,292	220,638	151,604
General and administrative	9,549	9,558	20,094	17,141
Merger and integration expenses	1,410	26,497	3,798	42,556
Acquisition costs	429	529	976	717
Total expenses	215,196	221,434	422,754	347,882
Earnings from operations	80,966	38,354	156,281	72,915
Interest expense	(50,802)	(42,151)	(98,348)	(71,192)
Interest and other income	3,254	2,814	7,453	5,693
Equity income in co-investments	4,472	5,629	8,783	16,155
Gains on sale of real estate and land	0	0	7,112	7,481
Gain on remeasurement of co-investment	12,652	0	34,014	0
Net income	50,542	4,646	115,295	31,052
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(3,674)	(2,125)	(7,750)	(5,251)
Net income attributable to controlling interest	46,868	2,521	107,545	25,801
Dividends to preferred stockholders	(1,313)	(1,314)	(2,627)	(2,682)
Net income available to common stockholders	45,555	1,207	104,918	23,119
Comprehensive income	51,287	7,306	116,639	38,035
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(3,703)	(2,184)	(7,794)	(5,556)
Comprehensive income attributable to controlling interest	$ 47,584	$ 5,122	$ 108,845	$ 32,479
Basic:
Net income available to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.70	$ 0.02	$ 1.63	$ 0.46
Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	64,810,184	61,884,963	64,499,545	49,857,233
Diluted:
Net income available to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.70	$ 0.02	$ 1.62	$ 0.46
Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	64,972,852	62,059,762	64,677,521	50,087,161
Dividends per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.44	$ 1.30	$ 2.88	$ 2.51
Essex Portfolio, L.P. [Member]
Revenues:
Rental and other property	$ 294,101	$ 256,952	$ 574,330	$ 416,302
Management and other fees from affiliates	2,061	2,836	4,705	4,495
Total revenues	296,162	259,788	579,035	420,797
Expenses:
Property operating, excluding real estate taxes	57,400	53,213	113,019	90,180
Real estate taxes	32,677	30,345	64,229	45,684
Depreciation and amortization	113,731	101,292	220,638	151,604
General and administrative	9,549	9,558	20,094	17,141
Merger and integration expenses	429	529	976	717
Acquisition costs	1,410	26,497	3,798	42,556
Total expenses	215,196	221,434	422,754	347,882
Earnings from operations	80,966	38,354	156,281	72,915
Interest expense	(50,802)	(42,151)	(98,348)	(71,192)
Interest and other income	3,254	2,814	7,453	5,693
Equity income in co-investments	4,472	5,629	8,783	16,155
Gains on sale of real estate and land	0	0	7,112	7,481
Gain on remeasurement of co-investment	12,652	0	34,014	0
Net income	50,542	4,646	115,295	31,052
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(2,141)	(1,916)	(4,106)	(3,625)
Net income attributable to controlling interest	48,401	2,730	111,189	27,427
Dividends to preferred stockholders	(1,313)	(1,314)	(2,627)	(2,682)
Net income available to common stockholders	47,088	1,416	108,562	24,745
Comprehensive income	51,287	7,306	116,639	38,035
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(2,141)	(1,916)	(4,106)	(3,625)
Comprehensive income attributable to controlling interest	$ 49,146	$ 5,390	$ 112,533	$ 34,410
Basic:
Net income available to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.70	$ 0.02	$ 1.63	$ 0.47
Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	66,992,209	64,058,505	66,682,708	52,127,261
Diluted:
Net income available to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.70	$ 0.02	$ 1.62	$ 0.47
Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	67,154,877	64,233,304	66,860,684	52,357,189
Dividends per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.44	$ 1.30	$ 2.88	$ 2.51