Notes and Other Receivables (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Allowance for credit losses	$ (418)	$ (334)
Total notes and other receivables	120,586	103,045
Note receivable, secured, bearing interest at 11.50%, due November 2024 (Originated November 2020)
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Note receivables	$ 34,468	33,477
Stated interest rate	11.50%
Note receivable, secured, bearing interest at 11.00%, due October 2025 (Originated October 2021)
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Note receivables	$ 28,773	21,452
Stated interest rate	11.00%
Note receivable, secured, bearing interest at 12.00%, due August 2024 (Originated August 2022)
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Note receivables	$ 10,679	10,350
Stated interest rate	12.00%
Note receivable, secured, bearing interest at 11.25%, due October 2027 (Originated October 2022)
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Note receivables	$ 6,774	0
Stated interest rate	11.25%
Notes and other receivables from affiliates
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Note receivables	$ 6,861	6,975
Allowance for credit losses	(418)	(334)
Straight line rent receivables
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Note receivables	12,536	12,164
Other receivables
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Note receivables	$ 20,913	$ 18,961

Interest rate of mortgage loan within investment in mortgage loan on real estate by entity with substantial portion of business acquiring and holding investment real estate or interest in real estate.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 12
-Paragraph Column B
-Subsection 29

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 948
-SubTopic 310
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-29(Column B))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120402547&loc=d3e617274-123014

+ Details

Name:	srt_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	srt_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesAndLoansReceivableLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of allowance for credit loss on financing receivable. Excludes allowance for financing receivable covered under loss sharing agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123577603&loc=SL6953423-111524

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(7)(2))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126897435&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(4))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255206&loc=SL82895884-210446

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919249-210447

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919249-210447

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-K (SK)
-Number 229
-Section 1405
-Paragraph (a)
-Subparagraph (3)

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-K (SK)
-Number 229
-Section 1405
-Paragraph (c)

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-K (SK)
-Number 229
-Section 1405
-Paragraph (a)
-Subparagraph (1)

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLosses
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amortized cost, before allowance for credit loss, of financing receivable. Excludes financing receivable covered under loss sharing agreement and net investment in lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7A
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123577603&loc=SL6953401-111524

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 79
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124267575&loc=SL82922352-210448

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(3)(b))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 14
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919253-210447

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255206&loc=SL82895884-210446

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919230-210447

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 80
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124267575&loc=SL82922355-210448

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-K (SK)
-Number 229
-Section 1405
-Paragraph (a)
-Subparagraph (1)

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-K (SK)
-Number 229
-Section 1405
-Paragraph (a)
-Subparagraph (2)

Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-K (SK)
-Number 229
-Section 1404
-Paragraph (a)

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NotesReceivableGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amortized cost, after allowance for credit loss, of financing receivable. Excludes financing receivable covered under loss sharing agreement and net investment in lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919230-210447

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124259787&loc=d3e4428-111522

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NotesReceivableNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=ess_SecuredNoteReceivable1150InterestRateDueNovember2024Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=ess_SecuredNoteReceivable1100InterestRateDueOctober2025Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=ess_SecuredNoteReceivable1200InterestRateDueAugust2024Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=ess_SecuredNoteReceivable1125InterestRateDueOctober2027Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=us-gaap_NotesReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=ess_StraightLineRentReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=ess_OtherReceivablesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: