Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Marketable securities, allowance for credit loss	$ 13,644	$ 0
Notes and other receivables, allowance for credit loss	66	0
Related party receivables	$ 7,700	$ 90,200
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.0001	$ 0.0001
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares)	670,000,000	670,000,000
Common stock, shares issued (in shares)	65,412,355	66,091,954
Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	65,412,355	66,091,954
Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Marketable securities, allowance for credit loss	$ 13,600	$ 0
Notes and other receivables, allowance for credit loss	100	0
Related party receivables	$ 7,700	$ 90,200
Essex Portfolio, L.P. | General Partner
Common stock, shares issued (in shares)	65,412,355	66,091,954
Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	65,412,355	66,091,954
Essex Portfolio, L.P. | Limited Partners
Common stock, shares issued (in shares)	2,296,043	2,301,653
Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	2,296,043	2,301,653