Document and Entity Information - shares	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jul. 23, 2019
Entity Information [Line Items]
Document Type	10-Q
Document Quarterly Report	true
Document Period End Date	Jun. 30, 2019
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	001-13106
Entity Registrant Name	ESSEX PROPERTY TRUST, INC.
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	MD
Entity Tax Identification Number	77-0369576
Entity Address, Address Line One	1100 Park Place, Suite 200
Entity Address, City or Town	San Mateo
Entity Address, State or Province	CA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	94403
City Area Code	650
Local Phone Number	655-7800
Title of each class	Common Stock, $0.0001 par value (Essex Property Trust, Inc.)
Trading Symbol	ESS
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		65,727,808
Amendment Flag	false
Entity Central Index Key	0000920522
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q2
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019
Essex Portfolio, L.P. [Member]
Entity Information [Line Items]
Entity File Number	333-44467-01
Entity Registrant Name	ESSEX PORTFOLIO LP
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	CA
Entity Tax Identification Number	77-0369575
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31