Net Income Per Common Share and Net Income Per Common Unit (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Basic:
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 488,554	$ 568,870	$ 439,286
Income from continuing operations available to common stockholders (in shares)	65,051,465	65,454,057	65,840,422
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 7.51	$ 8.69	$ 6.67
Diluted:
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 488,554	$ 569,653	$ 439,286
Income from continuing operations available to common stockholders (in shares)	65,088,874	65,564,982	65,939,455
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 7.51	$ 8.69	$ 6.66
Stock Options
Basic:
Income effect of dilutive securities	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	37,409	16,678	99,033
Diluted:
Anti-dilutive securities (in shares)	116,380	403,458	115,066
DownREIT units
Basic:
Income effect of dilutive securities	$ 0	$ 783	$ 0
Effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	0	94,247	0
Convertible Limited Partnership Units
Diluted:
Anti-dilutive securities (in shares)	2,289,391	2,296,608	2,300,478
Income allocated to convertible OP Units	$ 17,200	$ 20,000	$ 15,300
Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Basic:
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 505,745	$ 588,782	$ 454,629
Income from continuing operations available to common stockholders (in shares)	67,340,856	67,750,665	68,140,900
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 7.51	$ 8.69	$ 6.67
Diluted:
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 505,745	$ 589,565	$ 454,629
Income from continuing operations available to common stockholders (in shares)	67,378,265	67,861,590	68,239,933
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 7.51	$ 8.69	$ 6.66
Essex Portfolio, L.P. | Stock Options
Basic:
Income effect of dilutive securities	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	37,409	16,678	99,033
Diluted:
Anti-dilutive securities (in shares)	116,380	403,458	115,066
Essex Portfolio, L.P. | DownREIT units
Basic:
Income effect of dilutive securities	$ 0	$ 783	$ 0
Effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	0	94,247	0