Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Revenues:
Rental and other property	$ 159,017	$ 145,057
Management and other fees	2,628	2,948
Total revenues	161,645	148,005
Expenses:
Property operating, excluding real estate taxes	36,634	32,253
Real estate taxes	15,339	14,073
Depreciation	50,312	46,787
General and administrative	7,075	6,239
Merger expenses	16,059	0
Cost of management and other fees	1,477	1,701
Acquisition and dispositions costs	975	387
Total expenses	127,871	101,440
Earnings from operations	33,774	46,565
Interest expense before amortization	(26,055)	(25,211)
Amortization expense	(2,986)	(2,930)
Interest and other income	2,879	5,023
Equity income in co-investments	10,526	4,211
Gains on sale of real estate and land	8,268	1,503
Income from continuing operations	26,406	29,161
Income from discontinued operations	0	542
Net income	26,406	29,703
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(3,126)	(3,132)
Net income attributable to controlling interest	23,280	26,571
Dividends to preferred stockholders	(1,368)	(1,368)
Net income available to common stockholders	21,912	25,203
Comprehensive income	30,729	30,739
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(3,372)	(3,187)
Comprehensive income attributable to controlling interest	27,357	27,552
Basic:
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.58	$ 0.67
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0.01
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.58	$ 0.68
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	37,685,073	37,003,925
Diluted:
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.58	$ 0.67
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0.01
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.58	$ 0.68
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	37,931,454	37,092,062
Dividends per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.21	$ 1.21
Essex Portfolio, L.P. [Member]
Revenues:
Rental and other property	159,017	145,057
Management and other fees	2,628	2,948
Total revenues	161,645	148,005
Expenses:
Property operating, excluding real estate taxes	36,634	32,253
Real estate taxes	15,339	14,073
Depreciation	50,312	46,787
General and administrative	7,075	6,239
Merger expenses	16,059	0
Cost of management and other fees	1,477	1,701
Acquisition and dispositions costs	975	387
Total expenses	127,871	101,440
Earnings from operations	33,774	46,565
Interest expense before amortization	(26,055)	(25,211)
Amortization expense	(2,986)	(2,930)
Interest and other income	2,879	5,023
Equity income in co-investments	10,526	4,211
Gains on sale of real estate and land	8,268	1,503
Income from continuing operations	26,406	29,161
Income from discontinued operations	0	542
Net income	26,406	29,703
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(1,709)	(1,631)
Net income attributable to controlling interest	24,697	28,072
Dividends to preferred stockholders	(1,368)	(1,368)
Net income available to common stockholders	23,329	26,704
Comprehensive income	30,729	30,739
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(1,709)	(1,631)
Comprehensive income attributable to controlling interest	$ 29,020	$ 29,108
Basic:
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.58	$ 0.67
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0.01
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.58	$ 0.68
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	39,957,252	39,083,371
Diluted:
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.58	$ 0.67
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0.01
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.58	$ 0.68
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	40,203,633	39,171,508
Dividends per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.21	$ 1.21