Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Revenues:
Rental and other property	$ 268,118	$ 152,177	$ 683,749	$ 446,017
Management and other fees	2,361	1,771	6,856	5,812
Total revenues	270,479	153,948	690,605	451,829
Expenses:
Property operating, excluding real estate taxes	55,900	35,787	145,410	102,170
Real estate taxes	31,768	14,535	77,452	42,773
Depreciation	102,184	48,227	254,211	142,687
General and administrative	11,479	6,263	28,621	19,852
Merger and integration expenses	3,857	0	46,413	0
Acquisition and dispositions costs	51	237	1,555	792
Total expenses	205,239	105,049	553,662	308,274
Earnings from operations	65,240	48,899	136,943	143,555
Interest expense	(45,830)	(29,192)	(117,021)	(86,661)
Interest and other income	2,992	2,387	8,685	9,326
Equity income in co-investments	4,910	40,802	21,065	52,295
Gains on sale of real estate and land	31,372	0	39,640	1,503
Gain (loss) on early retirement of debt	0	(178)	0	846
Income from continuing operations	58,684	62,718	89,312	120,864
Income from discontinued operations	0	13,157	0	14,289
Net income	58,684	75,875	89,312	135,153
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(3,720)	(5,719)	(8,971)	(12,112)
Net income attributable to controlling interest	54,964	70,156	80,341	123,041
Dividends to preferred stockholders	(1,296)	(1,368)	(3,977)	(4,104)
Net income available to common stockholders	53,668	68,788	76,364	118,937
Comprehensive income	61,139	76,112	98,749	142,206
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(3,789)	(5,732)	(9,345)	(12,493)
Comprehensive income attributable to controlling interest	57,350	70,380	89,404	129,713
Basic:
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.85	$ 1.51	$ 1.41	$ 2.84
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0.33	$ 0	$ 0.36
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.85	$ 1.84	$ 1.41	$ 3.20
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	62,892,601	37,320,562	54,250,104	37,206,895
Diluted:
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.85	$ 1.51	$ 1.40	$ 2.83
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0.33	$ 0	$ 0.36
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.85	$ 1.84	$ 1.40	$ 3.19
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	63,069,772	37,436,983	54,443,227	37,295,691
Dividends per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.30	$ 1.21	$ 3.81	$ 3.63
Essex Portfolio, L.P. [Member]
Revenues:
Rental and other property	268,118	152,177	683,749	446,017
Management and other fees	2,361	1,771	6,856	5,812
Total revenues	270,479	153,948	690,605	451,829
Expenses:
Property operating, excluding real estate taxes	55,900	35,787	145,410	102,170
Real estate taxes	31,768	14,535	77,452	42,773
Depreciation	102,184	48,227	254,211	142,687
General and administrative	11,479	6,263	28,621	19,852
Merger and integration expenses	3,857	0	46,413	0
Acquisition and dispositions costs	51	237	1,555	792
Total expenses	205,239	105,049	553,662	308,274
Earnings from operations	65,240	48,899	136,943	143,555
Interest expense	(45,830)	(29,192)	(117,021)	(86,661)
Interest and other income	2,992	2,387	8,685	9,326
Equity income in co-investments	4,910	40,802	21,065	52,295
Gains on sale of real estate and land	31,372	0	39,640	1,503
Gain (loss) on early retirement of debt	0	(178)	0	846
Income from continuing operations	58,684	62,718	89,312	120,864
Income from discontinued operations	0	13,157	0	14,289
Net income	58,684	75,875	89,312	135,153
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(1,904)	(1,730)	(5,529)	(5,075)
Net income attributable to controlling interest	56,780	74,145	83,783	130,078
Dividends to preferred stockholders	(1,296)	(1,368)	(3,977)	(4,104)
Net income available to common stockholders	55,484	72,777	79,806	125,974
Comprehensive income	61,139	76,112	98,749	142,206
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(1,904)	(1,730)	(5,529)	(5,075)
Comprehensive income attributable to controlling interest	$ 59,235	$ 74,382	$ 93,220	$ 137,131
Basic:
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.85	$ 1.51	$ 1.41	$ 2.84
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0.33	$ 0	$ 0.36
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.85	$ 1.84	$ 1.41	$ 3.20
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	65,057,157	39,467,492	56,484,589	39,333,100
Diluted:
Income from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.85	$ 1.51	$ 1.41	$ 2.84
Income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0	$ 0.33	$ 0	$ 0.36
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.85	$ 1.84	$ 1.41	$ 3.20
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period (in shares)	65,234,328	39,583,913	56,677,712	39,421,896
Dividends per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.30	$ 1.21	$ 3.81	$ 3.63