Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Revenues:
Rental and other property	$ 1,486,150	$ 1,450,628	$ 1,390,870
Management and other fees from affiliates	9,598	9,527	9,183
Total revenues	1,495,748	1,460,155	1,400,053
Expenses:
Property operating, excluding real estate taxes	263,389	241,357	232,771
Real estate taxes	177,011	155,170	151,570
Corporate-level property management expenses	34,573	34,067	32,055
Depreciation and amortization	525,497	483,750	479,884
General and administrative	65,388	54,262	53,451
Expensed acquisition and investment related costs	1,591	168	194
Impairment loss	1,825	7,105	0
Total expenses	1,069,274	975,879	949,925
Gain (loss) on sale of real estate and land	64,967	(3,164)	61,861
Earnings from operations	491,441	481,112	511,989
Interest expense	(220,633)	(217,339)	(220,492)
Total return swap income	10,733	8,446	8,707
Interest and other income	40,999	46,298	23,010
Equity income from co-investments	66,512	112,136	89,132
Deferred tax expense on unrealized gain on unconsolidated co-investment	(1,531)	(1,457)	0
(Loss) gain on early retirement of debt, net	(22,883)	3,717	0
Gain on remeasurement of co-investment	234,694	31,535	1,253
Net income	599,332	464,448	413,599
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(30,462)	(25,162)	(23,446)
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders	$ 568,870	$ 439,286	$ 390,153
Basic:
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 8.69	$ 6.67	$ 5.91
Weighted average number of shares/units outstanding during the year (in shares)	65,454,057	65,840,422	66,041,058
Diluted:
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 8.69	$ 6.66	$ 5.90
Weighted average number of shares/units outstanding during the year (in shares)	65,564,982	65,939,455	66,085,089
Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Revenues:
Rental and other property	$ 1,486,150	$ 1,450,628	$ 1,390,870
Management and other fees from affiliates	9,598	9,527	9,183
Total revenues	1,495,748	1,460,155	1,400,053
Expenses:
Property operating, excluding real estate taxes	263,389	241,357	232,771
Real estate taxes	177,011	155,170	151,570
Corporate-level property management expenses	34,573	34,067	32,055
Depreciation and amortization	525,497	483,750	479,884
General and administrative	65,388	54,262	53,451
Expensed acquisition and investment related costs	1,591	168	194
Impairment loss	1,825	7,105	0
Total expenses	1,069,274	975,879	949,925
Gain (loss) on sale of real estate and land	64,967	(3,164)	61,861
Earnings from operations	491,441	481,112	511,989
Interest expense	(220,633)	(217,339)	(220,492)
Total return swap income	10,733	8,446	8,707
Interest and other income	40,999	46,298	23,010
Equity income from co-investments	66,512	112,136	89,132
Deferred tax expense on unrealized gain on unconsolidated co-investment	(1,531)	(1,457)	0
(Loss) gain on early retirement of debt, net	(22,883)	3,717	0
Gain on remeasurement of co-investment	234,694	31,535	1,253
Net income	599,332	464,448	413,599
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(10,550)	(9,819)	(9,994)
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders	$ 588,782	$ 454,629	$ 403,605
Basic:
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 8.69	$ 6.67	$ 5.91
Weighted average number of shares/units outstanding during the year (in shares)	67,750,665	68,140,900	68,315,999
Diluted:
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 8.69	$ 6.66	$ 5.90
Weighted average number of shares/units outstanding during the year (in shares)	67,861,590	68,239,933	68,360,030