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Organization and Basis of Presentation - Narrative (Details) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Jun. 30, 2021 USD ($) apartment community project partnership building investment shares | Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2021 USD ($) apartment community project partnership building investment shares | Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) partnership community investment shares
Real Estate Properties [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Apartment communities owned (in communities) | community | 246 |  | 246 |  |
Apartment units owned (in apartments) | apartment | 60,920 |  | 60,920 |  |
Ownership interest, number of commercial buildings (in commercial buildings) | building | 1 |  | 1 |  |
Ownership interest, number of active development projects (in projects) | project | 2 |  | 2 |  |
Ownership interest, number of unconsolidated joint venture projects (in projects) | project | 1 |  | 1 |  |
Equity securities | $ 2,500 |  | $ 2,500 |  | $ 2,500
Sales and maturities of marketable securities | 100 | $ 4,100 | 14,900 | $ 4,300 |
Marketable securities, realized gain (loss) | $ (100) | 46 | 2,500 | 33 |
Gain (loss) on sale of equity securities |  |  | $ 16,681 | (1,073) |
DownREIT limited partnerships consolidated by company (in partnerships) | partnership | 18 |  | 18 |  | 17
Communities within DownREIT partnerships (in communities) | community | 9 |  | 9 |  | 9
Number of previously consolidated co-investments considered VIE (in investments) | investment | 6 |  | 6 |  | 5
Assets related to variable interest entities net of intercompany eliminations | $ 904,600 |  | $ 904,600 |  | $ 898,500
Liabilities related to variable interest entities net of intercompany eliminations | 320,800 |  | 320,800 |  | 326,800
Noncontrolling interest in variable interest entity | 122,500 |  | 122,500 |  | 120,800
Fixed rate debt carrying amount | 5,700,000 |  | 5,700,000 |  | 5,500,000
Fixed rate debt fair value | 6,100,000 |  | 6,100,000 |  | 6,000,000
Variable rate debt, carrying amount | 408,900 |  | 408,900 |  | 775,100
Variable rate debt fair value | 406,600 |  | 406,600 |  | 770,100
Capitalized internal costs related to development and redevelopment projects | 5,500 | 8,900 | 11,900 | 18,800 |
Redeemable noncontrolling interest | 35,026 |  | 35,026 |  | $ 32,239
Interest And Other Income (Expense) |  |  |  |  |
Real Estate Properties [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Gain (loss) on sale of equity securities | $ 10,400 | $ 7,600 | $ 16,700 | (1,100) |
Essex Portfolio, L.P. |  |  |  |  |
Real Estate Properties [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Operating Partnership units outstanding (in shares) | shares | 2,293,760 |  | 2,293,760 |  | 2,294,760
Redemption value of operating partnership units outstanding | $ 688,200 |  | $ 688,200 |  | $ 544,800
Gain (loss) on sale of equity securities |  |  | 16,681 | $ (1,073) |
Redeemable noncontrolling interest | $ 35,026 |  | $ 35,026 |  | $ 32,239
Partnership Interest |  |  |  |  |
Real Estate Properties [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Ownership interest in partnership |  |  | 96.60% |  | 96.60%

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