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Consolidated Statements of Capital - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jan. 01, 2019	Jan. 01, 2018
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Net income	$ 135,182	$ 125,505	$ 124,440	$ 96,639	$ 464,448	$ 413,599	$ 458,043
Reversal of unrealized gains upon the sale of marketable securities					(32)	13	(1,909)
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements						7,824	12,744
Cash flow hedge losses reclassified to earnings					1,824	0	0
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements					(2,948)
Change in fair value of marketable securities, net					281	(118)	3,284
Issuance of common stock under:
Sale of common stock by general partner, net					72,539	(919)	89,055
Retirement of common stock, net					(56,989)	(51,233)
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest					(2,008)	(1,164)	(65)
Changes in noncontrolling interest from acquisition					65,472	7,919	22,506
Distributions to noncontrolling interest					(28,493)	(29,233)	(27,051)
Redemptions					(36,568)	(1,333)	(28,580)
ASU 2016-01
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative adjustment to retained earnings									$ 0
ASU 2017-05
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative adjustment to retained earnings									123,708
Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Balances		6,393,844		6,396,825	6,393,844	6,396,825	6,292,237
Net income	135,182	125,505	124,440	96,639	464,448	413,599	458,043
Reversal of unrealized gains upon the sale of marketable securities					(32)	13	(1,909)
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements						7,824	12,744
Cash flow hedge losses reclassified to earnings					1,824	0	0
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements					(2,948)
Change in fair value of marketable securities, net					281	(118)	3,284
Issuance of common stock under:
General partner's stock based compensation, net					33,779	6,213	26,635
Sale of common stock by general partner, net					72,539	(919)	89,055
Equity based compensation costs					12,283	12,851	11,302
Retirement of common stock, net					(56,989)	(51,233)
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest					(2,008)	(1,164)	(65)
Changes in noncontrolling interest from acquisition							22,506
Distributions to noncontrolling interest					(10,521)	(12,174)	(11,078)
Redemptions					(36,568)	(1,333)	(28,580)
Distributions declared					(532,081)	(508,167)	(477,349)
Balances	6,403,504		6,393,844		6,403,504	6,393,844	6,396,825
Essex Portfolio, L.P. \| ASU 2016-01
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative adjustment to retained earnings								$ 181	0
Essex Portfolio, L.P. \| ASU 2017-05
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative adjustment to retained earnings									123,708
Essex Portfolio, L.P. \| Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Net
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Balances		(9,738)		(15,229)	(9,738)	(15,229)	(29,348)
Reversal of unrealized gains upon the sale of marketable securities					(32)	13	(1,909)
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements						7,824	12,744
Cash flow hedge losses reclassified to earnings					1,824
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements					(2,948)
Change in fair value of marketable securities, net					281	(118)	3,284
Issuance of common stock under:
Balances	(10,432)		(9,738)		(10,432)	(9,738)	(15,229)
Essex Portfolio, L.P. \| Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Net \| ASU 2016-01
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative adjustment to retained earnings								181	(2,228)
Essex Portfolio, L.P. \| Noncontrolling Interest
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Balances		64,231		66,410	64,231	66,410	47,873
Net income					9,819	9,994	10,159
Issuance of common stock under:
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest					1,310	68	(65)
Changes in noncontrolling interest from acquisition					65,472	0	22,506
Distributions to noncontrolling interest					(10,521)	(12,174)	(11,078)
Redemptions					(8,049)	(67)	(2,985)
Balances	122,262		64,231		122,262	64,231	66,410
Essex Portfolio, L.P. \| General Partner \| Common Equity
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Balances		$ 6,280,290		$ 6,295,852	$ 6,280,290	$ 6,295,852	$ 6,224,276
Balances (in shares)		65,890		66,054	65,890	66,054	65,528
Net income					$ 439,286	$ 390,153	$ 433,059
Issuance of common stock under:
General partner's stock based compensation, net					$ 33,779	$ 6,213	$ 26,635
General partner's stock based compensation, net (in shares)					195	41	179
Sale of common stock by general partner, net					$ 72,539	$ (919)	$ 89,055
Sale of common stock by general partner, net (in shares)					228	0	345
Equity based compensation costs					$ 11,029	$ 11,651	$ 9,529
Retirement of common stock, net					$ (56,989)	$ (51,233)
Retirement of common stock, net (in shares)					(234)	(210)
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest					$ (3,427)	$ (1,143)	(136)
Redemptions					$ (28,083)	$ (1,061)	$ (25,190)
Redemptions (in shares)					(13)	(5)	(2)
Distributions declared					$ (514,109)	$ (491,108)	$ (461,376)
Balances	$ 6,234,315		$ 6,280,290		$ 6,234,315	$ 6,280,290	$ 6,295,852
Balances (in shares)	66,092		65,890		66,092	65,890	66,054
Essex Portfolio, L.P. \| General Partner \| Common Equity \| ASU 2016-01
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative adjustment to retained earnings								0	2,234
Essex Portfolio, L.P. \| General Partner \| Common Equity \| ASU 2017-05
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative adjustment to retained earnings									119,651
Essex Portfolio, L.P. \| Limited Partner \| Common Equity
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Balances		$ 59,061		$ 49,792	$ 59,061	$ 49,792	$ 49,436
Balances (in shares)		2,305		2,268	2,305	2,268	2,237
Net income					$ 15,343	$ 13,452	$ 14,825
Issuance of common stock under:
Equity based compensation costs					$ 1,254	$ 1,200	$ 1,773
Equity based compensation costs (in shares)					10	11	33
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest					$ 109	$ (89)	$ 136
Changes in noncontrolling interest from acquisition					$ 0	$ 7,919
Changes in noncontrolling interest from acquisition (in shares)					0	31
Redemptions					$ (436)	$ (205)	$ (405)
Redemptions (in shares)					(13)	(5)	(2)
Distributions declared					$ (17,972)	$ (17,059)	$ (15,973)
Balances	$ 57,359		$ 59,061		$ 57,359	$ 59,061	$ 49,792
Balances (in shares)	2,302		2,305		2,302	2,305	2,268
Essex Portfolio, L.P. \| Limited Partner \| Common Equity \| ASU 2016-01
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative adjustment to retained earnings								$ 0	(6)
Essex Portfolio, L.P. \| Limited Partner \| Common Equity \| ASU 2017-05
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative adjustment to retained earnings									$ 4,057