Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013
Revenues:
Rental and other property	$ 256,614	$ 148,781	$ 415,631	$ 293,839
Management and other fees	2,836	2,034	4,495	4,041
Total revenues	259,450	150,815	420,126	297,880
Expenses:
Property operating, excluding real estate taxes	52,875	34,131	89,508	66,385
Real estate taxes	30,345	14,165	45,684	28,238
Depreciation	97,510	47,673	147,822	94,459
General and administrative	9,558	6,589	17,142	13,588
Merger expenses	26,497	0	42,556	0
Acquisition and dispositions costs	529	168	1,504	555
Total expenses	217,314	102,726	344,216	203,225
Earnings from operations	42,136	48,089	75,910	94,655
Interest expense	(42,151)	(29,327)	(71,192)	(57,468)
Interest and other income	2,814	1,917	5,693	6,939
Equity income in co-investments	5,629	7,282	16,155	11,493
Gain on early retirement of debt	0	1,024	0	1,024
Gains on sale of real estate and land	0	0	8,268	1,503
Income from continuing operations	8,428	28,985	34,834	58,146
Income from discontinued operations	0	590	0	1,132
Net income	8,428	29,575	34,834	59,278
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(2,125)	(3,261)	(5,251)	(6,393)
Net income attributable to controlling interest	6,303	26,314	29,583	52,885
Dividends to preferred stockholders	(1,314)	(1,368)	(2,682)	(2,736)
Net income available to common stockholders	4,989	24,946	26,901	50,149
Comprehensive income	11,088	35,355	41,817	66,094
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(2,184)	(3,574)	(4,856)	(6,761)
Comprehensive income attributable to controlling interest	8,904	31,781	36,961	59,333
Basic:
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.08	$ 0.65	$ 0.54	$ 1.32
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0.02	$ 0.00	$ 0.03
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.08	$ 0.67	$ 0.54	$ 1.35
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	61,884,963	37,292,720	49,857,233	37,149,120
Diluted:
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.08	$ 0.65	$ 0.54	$ 1.32
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0.02	$ 0	$ 0.03
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.08	$ 0.67	$ 0.54	$ 1.35
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	62,059,762	37,390,987	50,087,161	37,241,968
Dividends per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.30	$ 1.21	$ 2.51	$ 2.42
Essex Portfolio, L.P. [Member]
Revenues:
Rental and other property	256,614	148,781	415,631	293,839
Management and other fees	2,836	2,034	4,495	4,041
Total revenues	259,450	150,815	420,126	297,880
Expenses:
Property operating, excluding real estate taxes	52,875	34,131	89,508	66,385
Real estate taxes	30,345	14,165	45,684	28,238
Depreciation	97,510	47,673	147,822	94,459
General and administrative	9,558	6,589	17,142	13,588
Merger expenses	26,497	0	42,556	0
Acquisition and dispositions costs	529	168	1,504	555
Total expenses	217,314	102,726	344,216	203,225
Earnings from operations	42,136	48,089	75,910	94,655
Interest expense	(42,151)	(29,327)	(71,192)	(57,468)
Interest and other income	2,814	1,917	5,693	6,939
Equity income in co-investments	5,629	7,282	16,155	11,493
Gain on early retirement of debt	0	1,024	0	1,024
Gains on sale of real estate and land	0	0	8,268	1,503
Income from continuing operations	8,428	28,985	34,834	58,146
Income from discontinued operations	0	590	0	1,132
Net income	8,428	29,575	34,834	59,278
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(1,916)	(1,714)	(3,625)	(3,345)
Net income attributable to controlling interest	6,512	27,861	31,209	55,933
Dividends to preferred stockholders	(1,314)	(1,368)	(2,682)	(2,736)
Net income available to common stockholders	5,198	26,493	28,527	53,197
Comprehensive income	11,088	35,355	41,817	66,094
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(1,916)	(1,714)	(3,625)	(3,345)
Comprehensive income attributable to controlling interest	$ 9,172	$ 33,641	$ 38,192	$ 62,749
Basic:
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.08	$ 0.65	$ 0.54	$ 1.32
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0.02	$ 0	$ 0.03
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.08	$ 0.67	$ 0.54	$ 1.35
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	64,058,505	39,444,214	52,127,261	39,264,790
Diluted:
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.08	$ 0.65	$ 0.54	$ 1.32
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0.02	$ 0	$ 0.03
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.08	$ 0.67	$ 0.54	$ 1.35
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	64,233,304	39,542,481	52,357,189	39,357,638
Dividends per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.30	$ 1.21	$ 2.51	$ 2.42