Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2021	Mar. 31, 2020
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 176,949	$ 328,765
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Straight-lined rents	3,087	(208)
Depreciation and amortization	128,587	131,559
Amortization of discount on marketable securities	0	(2,394)
Amortization of discount and debt financing costs, net	2,132	2,297
(Gain) loss on sale of marketable securities	(2,611)	13
Provision for credit losses	38	(50)
Unrealized (gains) losses on equity securities recognized through income	(6,276)	8,696
Earnings from co-investments	(17,011)	(21,297)
Operating distributions from co-investments	46,355	19,388
Accrued interest from notes and other receivables	(4,201)	(355)
Gain on the sale of real estate and land	(100,096)	0
Equity-based compensation	1,386	1,405
Loss (gain) on early retirement of debt, net	2,517	(321)
Gain on remeasurement of co-investment	0	(234,694)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Prepaid expenses, receivables, operating lease right-of-use assets, and other assets	(41,060)	36
Accounts payable, accrued liabilities, and operating lease liabilities	4,976	32,808
Other liabilities	494	1,278
Net cash provided by operating activities	195,266	266,926
Additions to real estate:
Acquisitions of real estate and acquisition related capital expenditures, net of cash acquired	(1,203)	(458,302)
Redevelopment	(9,274)	(18,296)
Development acquisitions of and additions to real estate under development	(19,629)	(25,681)
Capital expenditures on rental properties	(16,720)	(17,151)
Investments in notes receivable	(69,885)	0
Collections of notes and other receivables	0	98,711
Proceeds from insurance for property losses	102	457
Proceeds from dispositions of real estate	243,365	0
Contributions to co-investments	(49,974)	(21,905)
Changes in refundable deposits	11	96
Purchases of marketable securities	(23,296)	(10,731)
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	14,772	165
Non-operating distributions from co-investments	78,600	7,000
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	146,869	(445,637)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from unsecured debt and mortgage notes	447,404	498,140
Payments on unsecured debt and mortgage notes	(600,858)	(102,563)
Proceeds from lines of credit	204,794	1,038,426
Repayments of lines of credit	(204,794)	(743,426)
Retirement of common stock	(9,172)	(176,311)
Additions to deferred charges	(3,434)	(5,172)
Payments related to debt prepayment penalties	(2,132)	0
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	(70)
Net proceeds from stock options exercised	1,701	14,329
Payments related to tax withholding for share-based compensation	(5,445)	(5,664)
Contributions from noncontrolling interest	1,900	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(7,461)	(7,478)
Redemption of noncontrolling interest	(255)	(1,368)
Common stock dividends paid	(135,064)	(128,879)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(312,816)	379,964
Net increase in unrestricted and restricted cash and cash equivalents	29,319	201,253
Unrestricted and restricted cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	84,041	81,094
Unrestricted and restricted cash and cash equivalents at end of period	113,360	282,347
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest (net of $2.1 million and $4.8 million capitalized in 2021 and 2020, respectively)	55,213	52,487
Operating cash flows from operating leases	1,738	1,715
Supplemental disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Transfers between real estate under development and rental properties, net	267	131,841
Transfer from real estate under development to co-investments	747	824
Reclassifications to (from) redeemable noncontrolling interest to/from additional paid in capital and noncontrolling interest	4,083	(4,767)
Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	176,949	328,765
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Straight-lined rents	3,087	(208)
Depreciation and amortization	128,587	131,559
Amortization of discount on marketable securities	0	(2,394)
Amortization of discount and debt financing costs, net	2,132	2,297
(Gain) loss on sale of marketable securities	(2,611)	13
Provision for credit losses	38	(50)
Unrealized (gains) losses on equity securities recognized through income	(6,276)	8,696
Earnings from co-investments	(17,011)	(21,297)
Operating distributions from co-investments	46,355	19,388
Accrued interest from notes and other receivables	(4,201)	(355)
Gain on the sale of real estate and land	(100,096)	0
Equity-based compensation	1,386	1,405
Loss (gain) on early retirement of debt, net	2,517	(321)
Gain on remeasurement of co-investment	0	(234,694)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Prepaid expenses, receivables, operating lease right-of-use assets, and other assets	(41,060)	36
Accounts payable, accrued liabilities, and operating lease liabilities	4,976	32,808
Other liabilities	494	1,278
Net cash provided by operating activities	195,266	266,926
Additions to real estate:
Acquisitions of real estate and acquisition related capital expenditures, net of cash acquired	(1,203)	(458,302)
Redevelopment	(9,274)	(18,296)
Development acquisitions of and additions to real estate under development	(19,629)	(25,681)
Capital expenditures on rental properties	(16,720)	(17,151)
Investments in notes receivable	(69,885)	0
Collections of notes and other receivables	0	98,711
Proceeds from insurance for property losses	102	457
Proceeds from dispositions of real estate	243,365	0
Contributions to co-investments	(49,974)	(21,905)
Changes in refundable deposits	11	96
Purchases of marketable securities	(23,296)	(10,731)
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	14,772	165
Non-operating distributions from co-investments	78,600	7,000
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	146,869	(445,637)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from unsecured debt and mortgage notes	447,404	498,140
Payments on unsecured debt and mortgage notes	(600,858)	(102,563)
Proceeds from lines of credit	204,794	1,038,426
Repayments of lines of credit	(204,794)	(743,426)
Retirement of common stock	(9,172)	(176,311)
Additions to deferred charges	(3,434)	(5,172)
Payments related to debt prepayment penalties	(2,132)	0
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	(70)
Net proceeds from stock options exercised	1,701	14,329
Payments related to tax withholding for share-based compensation	(5,445)	(5,664)
Contributions from noncontrolling interest	1,900	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(2,114)	(2,016)
Redemption of noncontrolling interest	(255)	(1,368)
Common stock dividends paid	(140,411)	(134,341)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(312,816)	379,964
Net increase in unrestricted and restricted cash and cash equivalents	29,319	201,253
Unrestricted and restricted cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	84,041	81,094
Unrestricted and restricted cash and cash equivalents at end of period	113,360	282,347
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest (net of $2.1 million and $4.8 million capitalized in 2021 and 2020, respectively)	55,213	52,487
Operating cash flows from operating leases	1,738	1,715
Supplemental disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Transfers between real estate under development and rental properties, net	267	131,841
Transfer from real estate under development to co-investments	747	824
Reclassifications to (from) redeemable noncontrolling interest to/from additional paid in capital and noncontrolling interest	$ 4,083	$ (4,767)