The percentage of debt offering price at par value during the period.

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Face (par) amount of the original debt instrument that was repurchased.

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The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

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Unsecured Debt - Narrative (Details)	1 Months Ended						3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Unsecured Debt - Narrative (Details)	Jun. 30, 2021 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2020 USD ($) extension	Jan. 31, 2020	Nov. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) lineOfCredit extension	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Feb. 29, 2020 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2019 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2014 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes								$ 0	$ 200,000,000
Effective interest rate								4.40%	4.40%
Unsecured debt, net								$ 5,307,196,000	$ 5,607,985,000
Debt instrument face amount								$ 5,350,000,000	4,900,000,000
Number of lines of credit \| lineOfCredit								2
Lines of credit								$ 341,257,000	$ 0
CPPIB Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Investment interest acquired				45.00%					45.00%
Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net								5,307,196,000	$ 5,607,985,000
Lines of credit								341,257,000	0
Unsecured Bonds 1.700%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount								450,000,000	0
Unsecured Bonds 2.550%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount								300,000,000	0
Unsecured Bonds 2.650%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount								650,000,000	650,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 1.650%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount								300,000,000	300,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 2.650%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount								300,000,000	300,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 3.000%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount								550,000,000	550,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 4.000%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount								500,000,000	500,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 4.500%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount								300,000,000	300,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 3.625%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount								350,000,000	350,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 3.375%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount								450,000,000	450,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 3.375%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount								0	300,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 3.875%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount								400,000,000	400,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 3.250%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount								300,000,000	300,000,000
Variable Rate Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net					$ 350,000,000			$ 0	$ 550,000,000											$ 225,000,000
Weighted average interest rate								0.00%	1.70%
Debt instrument, term					5 years
Basis spread on rate					0.95%
Variable Rate Term Loan \| Carrying Value
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net								$ 0	$ 549,380,000
Senior Notes \| Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount											$ 600,000,000
Senior Notes \| BRE Properties, Inc.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net								$ 0	296,800,000
Long-term debt acquired																							$ 900,000,000
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 1.700%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net										$ 444,400,000
Coupon rate								1.70%
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 1.700% \| Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount										$ 450,000,000
Coupon rate										1.70%
Debt offering price										99.423%
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 2.550%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net	$ 295,700,000
Coupon rate								2.55%
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 2.550% \| Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount	$ 300,000,000
Coupon rate	2.55%
Debt offering price	99.367%
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 3.375%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount	$ 300,000,000
Coupon rate	3.375%
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 2.650%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net								$ 650,600,000	650,700,000
Debt instrument face amount		$ 150,000,000
Coupon rate								2.65%
Debt offering price		105.66%
Reoffer yield percentage		2.093%
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 2.650% \| Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount												$ 500,000,000
Coupon rate												2.65%
Debt offering price												99.628%
Repayments of secured debt							$ 100,300,000
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 1.650%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Coupon rate								1.65%
Debt offering price											99.035%
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 1.650% \| Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net								$ 295,100,000	294,500,000
Debt instrument face amount											$ 300,000,000
Coupon rate											1.65%
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 2.650%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Coupon rate								2.65%
Debt offering price											99.691%
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 2.650% \| Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net								$ 295,800,000	295,700,000
Debt instrument face amount											$ 300,000,000
Coupon rate											2.65%
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 3.000%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net								$ 543,900,000	543,100,000
Debt instrument face amount													$ 150,000,000	$ 400,000,000
Coupon rate								3.00%						3.00%
Debt offering price													101.685%	98.632%
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 4.000%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net								$ 495,400,000	494,800,000
Debt instrument face amount															$ 150,000,000	$ 350,000,000
Coupon rate								4.00%								4.00%
Debt offering price															100.717%	99.188%
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 4.500%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net								$ 295,900,000	295,800,000
Debt instrument face amount																	$ 300,000,000
Coupon rate								4.50%									4.50%
Debt offering price																	99.591%
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 3.625%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net								$ 347,300,000	346,800,000
Debt instrument face amount																		$ 350,000,000
Coupon rate								3.625%										3.625%
Debt offering price																		99.423%
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 3.375%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net								$ 447,100,000	446,400,000
Debt instrument face amount																					$ 450,000,000
Coupon rate								3.375%													3.375%
Debt offering price																					99.386%
Senior Notes \| Senior Unsecured Notes Maturing April 1, 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net								$ 498,200,000	497,600,000
Debt instrument face amount																						$ 500,000,000
Coupon rate																						3.50%
Debt offering price																						99.747%
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 5.500%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Coupon rate																							5.50%
Face amount of debt paid off																			$ 300,000,000
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 5.200%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Coupon rate																							5.20%
Face amount of debt paid off									300,000,000
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 3.375%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Coupon rate								3.375%															3.375%
Repayments of senior debt	$ 300,000,000
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 3.875%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net								$ 398,500,000	397,800,000
Debt instrument face amount																							$ 400,000,000
Coupon rate								3.875%															3.875%
Debt offering price																							99.234%
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 3.250%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net								$ 299,300,000	$ 298,700,000
Coupon rate						3.25%		3.25%
Debt offering price						99.152%
Proceeds from issuance of unsecured debt						$ 300,000,000
Senior Notes \| Unsecured Bonds 3.625%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount											$ 300,000,000
Coupon rate											3.625%
Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of extension options \| extension			2
Term extension period			12 months
Debt instrument face amount			$ 200,000,000
Debt instrument, term			1 year
Term Loan \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on rate			1.20%
Unsecured Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted average interest rate								1.00%	1.00%
Lines of credit								$ 341,257,000	$ 0
Unsecured Line of Credit \| Line of Credit Working Capital
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Lines of credit								$ 1,300,000	0
Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of extension options \| extension								3
Term extension period								6 months
Maximum borrowing capacity								$ 1,240,000,000
Line of Credit \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on rate								0.775%
Line of Credit \| Line of Credit Working Capital
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity								$ 35,000,000
Line of Credit \| Line of Credit Working Capital \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on rate								0.775%
Line of Credit \| Unsecured Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of extension options \| extension								3
Term extension period								6 months
Maximum borrowing capacity								$ 1,200,000,000
Lines of credit								$ 340,000,000	$ 0
Line of Credit \| Unsecured Line of Credit \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on rate								0.775%
Line of Credit \| Working Capital Unsecured Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity								$ 35,000,000