Unsecured Debt - Narrative (Details)	1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2022 USD ($) extension_option	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2023 USD ($) line_of_credit	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2021 USD ($)	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 ($)	Apr. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2014 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount					$ 5,050,000,000	$ 5,350,000,000
Unsecured debt, net					$ 5,318,531,000	5,312,168,000
Number of lines of credit | line_of_credit					2
Lines of credit					$ 0	52,073,000
CPPIB Interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Investment interest acquired				45.00%
Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured debt, net					5,318,531,000	5,312,168,000
Lines of credit					0	52,073,000
Senior Notes | Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount										$ 600,000,000
Line of Credit | Line of Credit Working Capital
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity					35,000,000
Unsecured Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of extension options | extension_option	2
Extension period	6 months
Unsecured Line of Credit | Line of Credit Working Capital
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Lines of credit					$ 0		$ 12,100,000
Unsecured Line of Credit | Adjusted SOFR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on rate					0.75%
Unsecured Bonds 1.700%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount					$ 450,000,000	450,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 1.700% | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Coupon rate					1.70%
Unsecured debt, net					$ 446,300,000	445,400,000
Unsecured Bonds 1.700% | Senior Notes | Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount									$ 450,000,000
Coupon rate									1.70%
Debt offering price									99.423%
Unsecured Bonds 2.550%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount					$ 300,000,000	300,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 2.550% | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Coupon rate					2.55%
Unsecured debt, net					$ 296,700,000	296,200,000
Unsecured Bonds 2.550% | Senior Notes | Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount								$ 300,000,000
Coupon rate								2.55%
Debt offering price								99.367%
Unsecured Bonds 3.375% | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount								$ 300,000,000
Coupon rate								3.375%
Unsecured Bonds 2.650%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount					$ 650,000,000	650,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 2.650% | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount		$ 150,000,000
Coupon rate					2.65%
Debt offering price		105.66%
Unsecured debt, net					$ 650,700,000	650,800,000
Reoffer yield percentage		2.093%
Unsecured Bonds 2.650% | Senior Notes | 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
Unsecured Bonds 1.650%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount					$ 300,000,000	300,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 1.650% | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Coupon rate					1.65%
Debt offering price										99.035%
Unsecured Bonds 1.650% | Senior Notes | Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount										$ 300,000,000
Coupon rate										1.65%
Unsecured debt, net					$ 296,100,000	295,500,000
Unsecured Bonds 2.650%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount					$ 300,000,000	300,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 2.650% | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Coupon rate					2.65%
Debt offering price										99.691%
Unsecured Bonds 2.650% | Senior Notes | Essex Portfolio, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount										$ 300,000,000
Coupon rate										2.65%
Unsecured debt, net					$ 296,000,000	295,800,000
Unsecured Bonds 3.625% | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount										$ 300,000,000
Coupon rate										3.625%
Unsecured Bonds 3.000%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount					$ 550,000,000	550,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 3.000% | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount												$ 150,000,000	$ 400,000,000
Coupon rate					3.00%								3.00%
Debt offering price												101.685%	98.632%
Unsecured debt, net					$ 545,500,000	544,700,000
Unsecured Bonds 4.000%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount					$ 500,000,000	500,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 4.000% | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount														$ 150,000,000	$ 350,000,000
Coupon rate					4.00%										4.00%
Debt offering price														100.717%	99.188%
Unsecured debt, net					$ 496,700,000	496,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 4.500%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount					$ 300,000,000	300,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 4.500% | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount																$ 300,000,000
Coupon rate					4.50%											4.50%
Debt offering price																99.591%
Unsecured debt, net					$ 296,200,000	296,100,000
Unsecured Bonds 3.625%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount					$ 350,000,000	350,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 3.625% | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount																	$ 350,000,000
Coupon rate					3.625%												3.625%
Debt offering price																	99.423%
Unsecured debt, net					$ 348,300,000	347,800,000
Unsecured Bonds 3.375%, Due April 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount					$ 450,000,000	450,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 3.375%, Due April 2026 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount																		$ 450,000,000
Coupon rate					3.375%													3.375%
Debt offering price																		99.386%
Unsecured debt, net					$ 448,400,000	447,800,000
Senior Unsecured Notes Maturing April 1, 2025 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount																			$ 500,000,000
Coupon rate																			3.50%
Debt offering price																			99.747%
Unsecured debt, net					499,300,000	498,800,000
Unsecured Bonds 3.875%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount					$ 400,000,000	400,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 3.875% | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount																				$ 400,000,000
Coupon rate					3.875%															3.875%
Debt offering price																				99.234%
Unsecured debt, net					$ 399,800,000	399,100,000
Unsecured Bonds 3.250%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount					$ 0	300,000,000
Unsecured Bonds 3.250% | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Coupon rate			3.25%		3.25%
Debt offering price			99.152%
Unsecured debt, net					$ 0	299,800,000
Proceeds from issuance of unsecured debt			$ 300,000,000
Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 1,200,000,000				1,240,000,000
Lines of credit					$ 0	$ 52,073,000
Number of extension options | extension_option	2
Term extension period	6 months
Line of Credit | Line of Credit Working Capital
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 35,000,000
Line of Credit | Adjusted SOFR | Line of Credit Working Capital
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on rate					0.75%
Unsecured Line of Credit | Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity					$ 1,200,000,000
Lines of credit					0		$ 40,000,000
Working Capital Unsecured Line of Credit | Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity					$ 35,000,000