Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Revenues:
Rental and other property	$ 333,168	$ 312,178
Management and other fees from affiliates	2,236	2,024
Total revenues	335,404	314,202
Expenses:
Property operating, excluding real estate taxes	63,645	60,071
Real estate taxes	35,868	34,419
Depreciation and amortization	115,503	109,707
General and administrative	10,601	9,182
Acquisition and investment related costs	556	828
Total expenses	226,173	214,207
Earnings from operations	109,231	99,995
Interest expense	(54,583)	(52,466)
Total return swap income	2,584	3,123
Interest and other income	6,764	5,208
Equity income from co-investments	10,899	15,068
Gain on sale of real estate and land	26,174	20,258
Deferred tax expense on gain on sale of real estate and land	0	(4,279)
Gain on remeasurement of co-investment	86,482	0
Net income	187,551	86,907
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(8,587)	(5,071)
Net income attributable to controlling interest	178,964	81,836
Dividends to preferred stockholders	0	(1,314)
Excess of redemption value of preferred stock over the carrying value	0	(2,541)
Net income available to common stockholders	178,964	77,981
Comprehensive income	189,764	84,696
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(8,661)	(4,998)
Comprehensive income attributable to controlling interest	$ 181,103	$ 79,698
Basic:
Net income available to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 2.73	$ 1.19
Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	65,549,484	65,405,654
Diluted:
Net income available to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 2.72	$ 1.19
Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	65,859,490	65,557,639
Dividends per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.75	$ 1.60
Essex Portfolio, L.P. [Member]
Revenues:
Rental and other property	$ 333,168	$ 312,178
Management and other fees from affiliates	2,236	2,024
Total revenues	335,404	314,202
Expenses:
Property operating, excluding real estate taxes	63,645	60,071
Real estate taxes	35,868	34,419
Depreciation and amortization	115,503	109,707
General and administrative	10,601	9,182
Acquisition and investment related costs	556	828
Total expenses	226,173	214,207
Earnings from operations	109,231	99,995
Interest expense	(54,583)	(52,466)
Total return swap income	2,584	3,123
Interest and other income	6,764	5,208
Equity income from co-investments	10,899	15,068
Gain on sale of real estate and land	26,174	20,258
Deferred tax expense on gain on sale of real estate and land	0	(4,279)
Gain on remeasurement of co-investment	86,482	0
Net income	187,551	86,907
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(2,441)	(2,287)
Net income attributable to controlling interest	185,110	84,620
Dividends to preferred stockholders	0	(1,314)
Excess of redemption value of preferred stock over the carrying value	0	(2,541)
Net income available to common stockholders	185,110	80,765
Comprehensive income	189,764	84,696
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(2,441)	(2,287)
Comprehensive income attributable to controlling interest	$ 187,323	$ 82,409
Basic:
Net income available to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 2.73	$ 1.19
Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	67,801,718	67,633,519
Diluted:
Net income available to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 2.72	$ 1.19
Weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	68,111,724	67,785,504
Dividends per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.75	$ 1.60