Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Revenues:
Rental and other property	$ 1,285,723	$ 1,185,498	$ 961,591
Management and other fees from affiliates	8,278	8,909	9,347
Total revenues	1,294,001	1,194,407	970,938
Expenses:
Property operating, excluding real estate taxes	249,765	234,953	204,673
Real estate taxes	139,162	128,555	107,873
Depreciation and amortization	441,682	453,423	360,592
General and administrative	40,751	40,090	40,878
Merger and integration expenses	0	3,798	53,530
Acquisition and investment related costs	1,841	2,414	1,878
Total expenses	873,201	863,233	769,424
Earnings from operations	420,800	331,174	201,514
Interest expense	(219,654)	(204,827)	(164,551)
Total return swap income	11,716	5,655	0
Interest and other income	27,305	19,143	11,811
Equity income from co-investments	48,698	21,861	39,893
Loss on early retirement of debt	(606)	(6,114)	(268)
Gain on sale of real estate and land	154,561	47,333	46,039
Deferred tax expense on gain on sale of real estate and land	(4,410)	0	0
Gain on remeasurement of co-investment	0	34,014	0
Net income	438,410	248,239	134,438
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(23,431)	(16,119)	(12,288)
Net income attributable to controlling interest	414,979	232,120	122,150
Dividends to preferred stockholders	(1,314)	(5,255)	(5,291)
Excess of redemption value of preferred stock over the carrying value	(2,541)	0	0
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 411,124	$ 226,865	$ 116,859
Basic:
Net income available to common stockholders - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 6.28	$ 3.50	$ 2.07
Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the year	65,471,540	64,871,717	56,546,959
Diluted:
Net income available to common stockholders - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 6.27	$ 3.49	$ 2.06
Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the year	65,587,816	65,061,685	56,696,525
Essex Portfolio, L.P. [Member]
Revenues:
Rental and other property	$ 1,285,723	$ 1,185,498	$ 961,591
Management and other fees from affiliates	8,278	8,909	9,347
Total revenues	1,294,001	1,194,407	970,938
Expenses:
Property operating, excluding real estate taxes	249,765	234,953	204,673
Real estate taxes	139,162	128,555	107,873
Depreciation and amortization	441,682	453,423	360,592
General and administrative	40,751	40,090	40,878
Merger and integration expenses	0	3,798	53,530
Acquisition and investment related costs	1,841	2,414	1,878
Total expenses	873,201	863,233	769,424
Earnings from operations	420,800	331,174	201,514
Interest expense	(219,654)	(204,827)	(164,551)
Total return swap income	11,716	5,655	0
Interest and other income	27,305	19,143	11,811
Equity income from co-investments	48,698	21,861	39,893
Loss on early retirement of debt	(606)	(6,114)	(268)
Gain on sale of real estate and land	154,561	47,333	46,039
Deferred tax expense on gain on sale of real estate and land	(4,410)	0	0
Gain on remeasurement of co-investment	0	34,014	0
Net income	438,410	248,239	134,438
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(9,342)	(8,295)	(7,421)
Net income attributable to controlling interest	429,068	239,944	127,017
Dividends to preferred stockholders	(1,314)	(5,255)	(5,291)
Excess of redemption value of preferred stock over the carrying value	(2,541)	0	0
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 425,213	$ 234,689	$ 121,726
Basic:
Net income available to common stockholders - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 6.28	$ 3.50	$ 2.07
Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the year	67,695,640	67,054,184	58,771,666
Diluted:
Net income available to common stockholders - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 6.27	$ 3.49	$ 2.07
Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the year	67,811,916	67,244,152	58,921,232