Net Income Per Common Share and Net Income Per Common Unit (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Basic:
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 408,315	$ 488,554	$ 568,870
Income from continuing operations available to common stockholders (in shares)	65,079,764	65,051,465	65,454,057
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 6.27	$ 7.51	$ 8.69
Diluted:
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 408,315	$ 488,554	$ 569,653
Income from continuing operations available to common stockholders (in shares)	65,098,186	65,088,874	65,564,982
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 6.27	$ 7.51	$ 8.69
Stock Options
Basic:
Income effect of dilutive securities		$ 0	$ 0
Effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	18,422	37,409	16,678
Diluted:
Anti-dilutive securities (in shares)	253,845	116,380	403,458
DownREIT units
Basic:
Income effect of dilutive securities	$ 0	$ 0	$ 783
Effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	0	0	94,247
Convertible Limited Partnership Units
Diluted:
Anti-dilutive securities (in shares)	2,276,341	2,289,391	2,296,608
Income allocated to convertible OP Units	$ 14,300	$ 17,200	$ 20,000
Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Basic:
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 422,612	$ 505,745	$ 588,782
Income from continuing operations available to common stockholders (in shares)	67,356,105	67,340,856	67,750,665
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 6.27	$ 7.51	$ 8.69
Diluted:
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 422,612	$ 505,745	$ 589,565
Income from continuing operations available to common stockholders (in shares)	67,374,527	67,378,265	67,861,590
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 6.27	$ 7.51	$ 8.69
Essex Portfolio, L.P. | Stock Options
Basic:
Income effect of dilutive securities	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	18,422	37,409	16,678
Diluted:
Anti-dilutive securities (in shares)	253,845	116,380	403,458
Essex Portfolio, L.P. | DownREIT units
Basic:
Income effect of dilutive securities	$ 0	$ 0	$ 783
Effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	0	0	94,247