Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Revenues:
Rental and other property	$ 327,078,000	$ 302,522,000	$ 958,818,000	$ 876,852,000
Management and other fees from affiliates	2,093,000	2,104,000	6,145,000	6,809,000
Total revenues	329,171,000	304,626,000	964,963,000	883,661,000
Expenses:
Property operating, excluding real estate taxes	63,781,000	60,528,000	185,390,000	173,547,000
Real estate taxes	35,580,000	33,591,000	104,540,000	97,820,000
Depreciation and amortization	110,467,000	116,308,000	329,847,000	336,946,000
General and administrative	9,647,000	11,129,000	28,527,000	31,223,000
Merger and integration expenses	0	0	0	3,798,000
Acquisition and investment related costs	284,000	381,000	1,379,000	1,357,000
Total expenses	219,759,000	221,937,000	649,683,000	644,691,000
Earnings from operations	109,412,000	82,689,000	315,280,000	238,970,000
Interest expense	(56,693,000)	(50,053,000)	(164,727,000)	(148,401,000)
Total return swap income	3,143,000	0	9,080,000	0
Interest and other income	4,943,000	7,367,000	19,560,000	14,820,000
Equity income in co-investments	9,568,000	7,179,000	38,932,000	15,962,000
Loss on early retirement of debt	(211,000)	0	(211,000)	0
Gain on sale of real estate and land	0	0	20,258,000	7,112,000
Deferred tax expense on gain on sale of real estate and land	0	0	(4,279,000)	0
Gain on remeasurement of co-investment	0	0	0	34,014,000
Net income	70,162,000	47,182,000	233,893,000	162,477,000
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(4,601,000)	(3,545,000)	(14,483,000)	(11,295,000)
Net income attributable to controlling interest	65,561,000	43,637,000	219,410,000	151,182,000
Dividends to preferred stockholders	0	(1,314,000)	(1,314,000)	(3,941,000)
Excess of redemption value of preferred stock over the carrying value	0	0	(2,541,000)	0
Net income available to common stockholders	65,561,000	42,323,000	215,555,000	147,241,000
Comprehensive income	73,173,000	46,970,000	235,874,000	163,609,000
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(4,700,000)	(3,538,000)	(14,548,000)	(11,332,000)
Comprehensive income attributable to controlling interest	$ 68,473,000	$ 43,432,000	$ 221,326,000	$ 152,277,000
Basic:
Net income available to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.00	$ 0.65	$ 3.29	$ 2.28
Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	65,507,669	65,138,868	65,455,004	64,714,994
Diluted:
Net income available to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.00	$ 0.65	$ 3.29	$ 2.27
Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	65,617,551	65,297,550	65,578,661	64,892,770
Dividends per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.60	$ 1.44	$ 4.8	$ 4.32
Essex Portfolio, L.P. [Member]
Revenues:
Rental and other property	$ 327,078,000	$ 302,522,000	$ 958,818,000	$ 876,852,000
Management and other fees from affiliates	2,093,000	2,104,000	6,145,000	6,809,000
Total revenues	329,171,000	304,626,000	964,963,000	883,661,000
Expenses:
Property operating, excluding real estate taxes	63,781,000	60,528,000	185,390,000	173,547,000
Real estate taxes	35,580,000	33,591,000	104,540,000	97,820,000
Depreciation and amortization	110,467,000	116,308,000	329,847,000	336,946,000
General and administrative	9,647,000	11,129,000	28,527,000	31,223,000
Merger and integration expenses	0	0	0	3,798,000
Acquisition and investment related costs	284,000	381,000	1,379,000	1,357,000
Total expenses	219,759,000	221,937,000	649,683,000	644,691,000
Earnings from operations	109,412,000	82,689,000	315,280,000	238,970,000
Interest expense	(56,693,000)	(50,053,000)	(164,727,000)	(148,401,000)
Total return swap income	3,143,000	0	9,080,000	0
Interest and other income	4,943,000	7,367,000	19,560,000	14,820,000
Equity income in co-investments	9,568,000	7,179,000	38,932,000	15,962,000
Loss on early retirement of debt	(211,000)	0	(211,000)	0
Gain on sale of real estate and land	0	0	20,258,000	7,112,000
Deferred tax expense on gain on sale of real estate and land	0	0	(4,279,000)	0
Gain on remeasurement of co-investment	0	0	0	34,014,000
Net income	70,162,000	47,182,000	233,893,000	162,477,000
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(2,378,000)	(2,074,000)	(7,026,000)	(6,180,000)
Net income attributable to controlling interest	67,784,000	45,108,000	226,867,000	156,297,000
Dividends to preferred stockholders	0	(1,314,000)	(1,314,000)	(3,941,000)
Excess of redemption value of preferred stock over the carrying value	0	0	(2,541,000)	0
Net income available to common stockholders	67,784,000	43,794,000	223,012,000	152,356,000
Comprehensive income	73,173,000	46,970,000	235,874,000	163,609,000
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(2,378,000)	(2,074,000)	(7,026,000)	(6,180,000)
Comprehensive income attributable to controlling interest	$ 70,795,000	$ 44,896,000	$ 228,848,000	$ 157,429,000
Basic:
Net income available to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.00	$ 0.65	$ 3.30	$ 2.28
Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	67,728,621	67,316,498	67,679,240	66,896,293
Diluted:
Net income available to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.00	$ 0.65	$ 3.29	$ 2.27
Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	67,838,503	67,475,180	67,802,897	67,074,069
Dividends per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.6	$ 1.44	$ 4.8	$ 4.32