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Summary of Critical and Significant Accounting Policies (Details) | 12 Months Ended |  |
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Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) property community partnership shares | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) community shares | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) | Jan. 01, 2016 investment | Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Principles of Consolidation [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling interest in Operating Partnership (in hundredths) | 3.30% | 3.30% |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Lines of credit | $ 125,000,000 | $ 15,000,000 |  |  |
Prepaid expenses and other assets | $ 48,450,000 | 41,730,000 |  |  |
Real Estate Rental Properties [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Threshold useful life of assets for capitalization | 1 year |  |  |  |
Depreciable life of various categories of fixed assets [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Acquired in-place lease value, net | $ 1,400,000 | $ 2,900,000 |  |  |
Number of communities held-for-sale | community | 1 | 2 |  |  |
Revenues and Gains on Sale of Real Estate [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Lease terms, minimum | 6 months |  |  |  |
Lease terms, maximum | 12 months |  |  |  |
Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Original maturities of highly liquid investments to be classified as cash equivalents, maximum | 3 months |  |  |  |
Marketable Securities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Maturity date of investments in mortgage backed securities, first | November 2019 | November 2019 |  |  |
Maturity date of investments in mortgage backed securities, final | September 2020 | September 2020 |  |  |
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Available for sale - Carrying Value | $ 139,189,000 | $ 137,485,000 |  |  |
Held-to-maturity Securities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Total marketable securities and other investments, amortized cost | 137,715,000 | 130,335,000 |  |  |
Total marketable securities and other investments, gross unrealized gain | 1,474,000 | 7,150,000 |  |  |
Total marketable securities and other investments, carrying value | 139,189,000 | 137,485,000 |  |  |
Proceeds from sale of available-for-sale securities | 30,500,000 | 3,300,000 | $ 8,800,000 |  |
Gain on sale of available-for-sale securities | 4,800,000 | 0 | 900,000 |  |
Sale of other investments | 0 | 5,600,000 | 0 |  |
Gain on sale of other investments | 600,000 |  |  |  |
Capitalization Policy [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Capitalized internal costs related to development and redevelopment projects | 18,500,000 | 17,600,000 | 17,600,000 |  |
Fair Value of Financial Instruments [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Fixed rate debt carrying amount | 5,100,000,000 | 4,800,000,000 |  |  |
Fixed rate debt fair value | 5,100,000,000 | 4,800,000,000 |  |  |
Variable rate debt, carrying amount | 499,700,000 | 525,300,000 |  |  |
Variable rate debt fair value | 502,800,000 | 527,600,000 |  |  |
Mortgage backed securities fair value | $ 108,800,000 | 110,200,000 |  |  |
Investments, Owned, Federal Income Tax Note [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Number of properties disposed | property | 2 |  |  |  |
Deferred tax expense on gain on sale of real estate and land | $ (4,410,000) | 0 | 0 |  |
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Stockholders' equity, beginning balance | 6,237,733,000 |  |  |  |
Stockholders' equity, ending balance | $ 6,192,178,000 | 6,237,733,000 |  |  |
Number of consolidated co-investments that now meet the definition of a VIE | investment |  |  |  | 9 |
Number of DownREIT limited partnerships the company consolidates | partnership | 19 |  |  |  |
Number of communities within the DownREIT partnership | community | 11 |  |  |  |
Assets related to variable interest entities, net intercompany eliminations | $ 989,300,000 | 893,100,000 |  |  |
Liabilities related to variable interest entities, net of intercompany eliminations | 288,100,000 | 231,800,000 |  |  |
Noncontrolling interests in VIEs | $ 52,900,000 | $ 54,600,000 |  |  |
Common Stock, Redemption Of Limited Partnership Interest, Shares Issuable Per Unit | shares | 1 |  |  |  |
Total DownREIT units outstanding (in shares) | shares | 952,140 | 963,172 |  |  |
Redemption value of the variable interest entities | $ 221,400,000 | $ 230,600,000 |  |  |
Redeemable noncontrolling interest | 44,684,000 | 45,452,000 | 23,256,000 |  | $ 0
Noncontrolling interest in limited partnerships | 18,600,000 | 18,400,000 |  |  |
Essex Portfolio, L.P. [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Lines of credit | 125,000,000 | 15,000,000 |  |  |
Prepaid expenses and other assets | 48,450,000 | 41,730,000 |  |  |
Investments, Owned, Federal Income Tax Note [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Deferred tax expense on gain on sale of real estate and land | (4,410,000) | 0 | $ 0 |  |
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Redeemable noncontrolling interest | $ 44,684,000 | 45,452,000 |  |  |
Computer software and equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Depreciable life of various categories of fixed assets [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Depreciable life, average | 3 years |  |  |  |
Computer software and equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Depreciable life of various categories of fixed assets [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Depreciable life, average | 5 years |  |  |  |
Interior apartment home improvements [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Depreciable life of various categories of fixed assets [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Depreciable life, average | 5 years |  |  |  |
Furniture, fixtures and equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Depreciable life of various categories of fixed assets [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Depreciable life, average | 5 years |  |  |  |
Furniture, fixtures and equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Depreciable life of various categories of fixed assets [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Depreciable life, average | 10 years |  |  |  |
Land improvements and certain exterior components of real property [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Depreciable life of various categories of fixed assets [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Depreciable life, average | 10 years |  |  |  |
Real estate structures [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Depreciable life of various categories of fixed assets [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Depreciable life, average | 30 years |  |  |  |
Investment-grade unsecured bonds [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Available for sale - Amortized Cost | $ 19,604,000 | 11,618,000 |  |  |
Available for sale - Gross Unrealized Gain (Loss) | (73,000) | 68,000 |  |  |
Available for sale - Carrying Value | 19,531,000 | 11,686,000 |  |  |
Investment funds - U.S. treasuries [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Available for sale - Amortized Cost | 10,022,000 | 3,675,000 |  |  |
Available for sale - Gross Unrealized Gain (Loss) | (22,000) | (9,000) |  |  |
Available for sale - Carrying Value | 10,000,000 | 3,666,000 |  |  |
Common stock and stock funds [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Available-for-sale Securities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Available for sale - Amortized Cost | 13,696,000 | 34,655,000 |  |  |
Available for sale - Gross Unrealized Gain (Loss) | 1,569,000 | 7,091,000 |  |  |
Available for sale - Carrying Value | 15,265,000 | 41,746,000 |  |  |
Mortgage backed securities [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Held-to-maturity Securities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Held to maturity - Amortized Cost | 94,393,000 | 80,387,000 |  |  |
Held to maturity - Gross Unrealized Gain (Loss) | 0 | 0 |  |  |
Held to maturity - Securities | $ 94,393,000 | $ 80,387,000 |  |  |
Common stock and stock funds [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Status of cash dividends distributed [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Ordinary income (in hundredths) | 86.68% | 99.28% | 70.03% |  |
Capital gains (in hundredths) | 7.11% | 0.72% | 21.95% |  |
Unrecaptured section 1250 capital gain (in hundredths) | 6.21% | 0.00% | 8.02% |  |
Total cash dividends distributed (in hundredths) | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |  |
Series G and H Preferred Stock [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Status of cash dividends distributed [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |
Ordinary income (in hundredths) | 86.68% | 99.28% | 70.03% |  |
Capital gains (in hundredths) | 7.11% | 0.72% | 21.95% |  |
Unrecaptured section 1250 capital gain (in hundredths) | 6.21% | 0.00% | 8.02% |  |
Total cash dividends distributed (in hundredths) | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |  |
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Stockholders' equity, beginning balance | $ (42,011,000) |  |  |  |
Other comprehensive income before reclassification | 24,570,000 |  |  |  |
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss | (14,657,000) |  |  |  |
Other comprehensive income | 9,913,000 |  |  |  |
Stockholders' equity, ending balance | (32,098,000) | $ (42,011,000) |  |  |
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] | Essex Portfolio, L.P. [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Stockholders' equity, beginning balance | (39,598,000) |  |  |  |
Other comprehensive income before reclassification | 25,406,000 |  |  |  |
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss | (15,156,000) |  |  |  |
Other comprehensive income | 10,250,000 |  |  |  |
Stockholders' equity, ending balance | (29,348,000) | (39,598,000) |  |  |
Change in fair value and amortization of swap settlements [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Stockholders' equity, beginning balance | (48,366,000) |  |  |  |
Other comprehensive income before reclassification | 25,371,000 |  |  |  |
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss | (9,968,000) |  |  |  |
Other comprehensive income | 15,403,000 |  |  |  |
Stockholders' equity, ending balance | (32,963,000) | (48,366,000) |  |  |
Change in fair value and amortization of swap settlements [Member] | Essex Portfolio, L.P. [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Stockholders' equity, beginning balance | (46,087,000) |  |  |  |
Other comprehensive income before reclassification | 26,234,000 |  |  |  |
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss | (10,308,000) |  |  |  |
Other comprehensive income | 15,926,000 |  |  |  |
Stockholders' equity, ending balance | (30,161,000) | (46,087,000) |  |  |
Unrealized gains on available for sale securities [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Stockholders' equity, beginning balance | 6,355,000 |  |  |  |
Other comprehensive income before reclassification | (801,000) |  |  |  |
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss | (4,689,000) |  |  |  |
Other comprehensive income | (5,490,000) |  |  |  |
Stockholders' equity, ending balance | 865,000 | 6,355,000 |  |  |
Unrealized gains on available for sale securities [Member] | Essex Portfolio, L.P. [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |
Stockholders' equity, beginning balance | 6,489,000 |  |  |  |
Other comprehensive income before reclassification | (828,000) |  |  |  |
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss | (4,848,000) |  |  |  |
Other comprehensive income | (5,676,000) |  |  |  |
Stockholders' equity, ending balance | $ 813,000 | 6,489,000 |  |  |
Accounting Standards Update 2015-03 |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Lines of credit |  | 3,300,000 |  |  |
Prepaid expenses and other assets |  | $ (3,300,000) |  |  |

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