EPLP - Condensed Consolidated Statement of Capital (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Net income	$ 61,690	$ 69,615	$ 140,065	$ 246,564
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements	11,812	472	31,895	4,879
Change in fair value of marketable debt securities, net	(102)	172	296	257
Issuance of common stock under:
Sale of common stock by general partner, net	(66)	(84)	(207)	(84)
Retirement of common units, net	(60,830)		(60,830)	(9,172)
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest	6,295	(2,512)	1,223	(6,595)
Contributions from noncontrolling interest			125	1,900
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(7,622)	(7,303)	(15,241)	(14,857)
Redemptions	(2,335)	(2,063)	(2,361)	(2,318)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Net
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements	11,416	456	30,820	4,713
Change in fair value of marketable debt securities, net	(99)	166	286	248
Noncontrolling interest
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Net income	4,636	4,769	9,757	13,274
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements	396	16	1,075	166
Change in fair value of marketable debt securities, net	(3)	6	10	9
Issuance of common stock under:
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest	230	62	172	157
Contributions from noncontrolling interest			125	1,900
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(7,622)	(7,303)	(15,241)	(14,857)
Redemptions	(213)	(271)	(238)	(451)
Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Balance at period beginning	6,138,207	6,210,931	6,176,508	6,183,192
Net income	61,690	69,615	140,065	246,564
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements	11,812	472	31,895	4,879
Change in fair value of marketable debt securities, net	(102)	172	296	257
Issuance of common stock under:
General partner's stock based compensation, net	172	574	17,039	(3,170)
Sale of common stock by general partner, net	(66)	(84)	(207)	(84)
Equity based compensation costs	2,662	2,785	5,125	7,867
Retirement of common units, net	(60,830)		(60,830)	(9,172)
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest	6,295	(2,512)	1,223	(6,595)
Contributions from noncontrolling interest			125	1,900
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(2,621)	(2,508)	(5,218)	(5,268)
Redemptions	(2,335)	(2,063)	(2,361)	(2,318)
Distributions declared	(148,299)	(140,679)	(297,075)	(281,349)
Balance at period end	$ 6,006,585	$ 6,136,703	$ 6,006,585	$ 6,136,703
Essex Portfolio, L.P. | Common Equity | General Partner
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Balance at period beginning (in shares)	65,332	64,999	65,248	64,999
Balance at period beginning	$ 5,942,746	$ 6,035,566	$ 5,999,155	$ 6,015,139
Net income	$ 57,054	$ 64,846	$ 130,308	$ 233,290
Issuance of common stock under:
General partner's stock based compensation, net (in shares)	3	5	87	44
General partner's stock based compensation, net	$ 172	$ 574	$ 17,039	$ (3,170)
Sale of common stock by general partner, net	(66)	(84)	(207)	(84)
Equity based compensation costs	$ 2,572	2,571	$ 4,952	$ 7,599
Retirement of common units, net (in shares)	(219)		(219)	(40)
Retirement of common units, net	$ (60,830)		$ (60,830)	$ (9,172)
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest	6,065	$ (2,574)	$ 1,051	$ (6,752)
Redemptions (in shares)		0	8	1
Redemptions	(2,122)	$ (1,792)	$ (2,123)	$ (1,867)
Distributions declared	$ (143,298)	$ (135,884)	$ (287,052)	$ (271,760)
Balance at period end (in shares)	65,124	65,004	65,124	65,004
Balance at period end	$ 5,802,293	$ 5,963,223	$ 5,802,293	$ 5,963,223
Essex Portfolio, L.P. | Common Equity | Limited Partners
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Balance at period beginning (in shares)	2,282	2,294	2,282	2,295
Balance at period beginning	$ 54,112	$ 59,328	$ 56,502	$ 58,184
Net income	1,990	2,288	4,553	$ 8,235
Issuance of common stock under:
Equity based compensation costs (in shares)				0
Equity based compensation costs	90	214	173	$ 268
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest	136	$ (85)	$ 122	$ (12)
Redemptions (in shares)		0	(9)	(1)
Redemptions		$ 0	$ (94)	$ (136)
Distributions declared	$ (5,001)	$ (4,795)	$ (10,023)	$ (9,589)
Balance at period end (in shares)	2,273	2,294	2,273	2,294
Balance at period end	$ 51,233	$ 56,950	$ 51,233	$ 56,950
Essex Portfolio, L.P. | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Net
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Balance at period beginning	18,677	(6,811)	(1,804)	(11,303)
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements	11,812	472	31,895	4,879
Change in fair value of marketable debt securities, net	(102)	172	296	257
Issuance of common stock under:
Balance at period end	30,387	(6,167)	30,387	(6,167)
Essex Portfolio, L.P. | Noncontrolling interest
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Balance at period beginning	122,672	122,848	122,655	121,172
Net income	2,646	2,481	5,204	5,039
Issuance of common stock under:
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest	94	147	50	169
Contributions from noncontrolling interest			125	1,900
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(2,621)	(2,508)	(5,218)	(5,268)
Redemptions	(119)	(271)	(144)	(315)
Balance at period end	$ 122,672	$ 122,697	$ 122,672	$ 122,697