<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<!--XBRL Document Created with the Workiva Platform-->
<!--Copyright 2026 Workiva-->
<!--r:019e660c-e9e5-7f8c-9ff3-42277f3b69c3,g:520f3738-55aa-4f4a-adbf-fd15a2612c2c-->
<link:linkbase xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase http://www.xbrl.org/2003/xbrl-linkbase-2003-12-31.xsd">
  <link:roleRef roleURI="http://www.essex.com/role/CoverPage" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="ess-20260529.xsd#CoverPage"/>
  <link:presentationLink xlink:role="http://www.essex.com/role/CoverPage" xlink:type="extended">
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_019e660c-e9e5-7735-b9fe-795906e0470d" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_CoverAbstract"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntitiesTable_019e660c-e9e5-7a3a-afb2-7f11bd034069" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntitiesTable"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="1" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_019e660c-e9e5-7735-b9fe-795906e0470d" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntitiesTable_019e660c-e9e5-7a3a-afb2-7f11bd034069" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_LegalEntityAxis_019e660c-e9e5-78d6-a070-7f5b94b2da59" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_LegalEntityAxis"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="1" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntitiesTable_019e660c-e9e5-7a3a-afb2-7f11bd034069" xlink:to="loc_dei_LegalEntityAxis_019e660c-e9e5-78d6-a070-7f5b94b2da59" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityDomain_019e660c-e9e5-78c0-9647-06b85cb5058c" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityDomain"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="1" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_LegalEntityAxis_019e660c-e9e5-78d6-a070-7f5b94b2da59" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityDomain_019e660c-e9e5-78c0-9647-06b85cb5058c" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_ess_EssexPortfolioL.P.Member_019e660c-e9e5-7846-a170-4cfd60bcf99d" xlink:href="ess-20260529.xsd#ess_EssexPortfolioL.P.Member"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="1" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityDomain_019e660c-e9e5-78c0-9647-06b85cb5058c" xlink:to="loc_ess_EssexPortfolioL.P.Member_019e660c-e9e5-7846-a170-4cfd60bcf99d" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityInformationLineItems"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="2" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntitiesTable_019e660c-e9e5-7a3a-afb2-7f11bd034069" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentType_019e660c-e9e5-73e7-b50a-d67445a1d174" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_DocumentType"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="1" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentType_019e660c-e9e5-73e7-b50a-d67445a1d174" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_019e660c-e9e5-7e53-8469-032b418c3cc3" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="2" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_019e660c-e9e5-7e53-8469-032b418c3cc3" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_019e660c-e9e5-7c52-b1f9-3cd5f9ff5bec" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityRegistrantName"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="3" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_019e660c-e9e5-7c52-b1f9-3cd5f9ff5bec" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_019e660c-e9e5-7105-bdb9-1da3ce3ade48" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityFileNumber"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="4" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_019e660c-e9e5-7105-bdb9-1da3ce3ade48" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_019e660c-e9e5-7fef-9555-28b10eb4d7e0" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="5" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_019e660c-e9e5-7fef-9555-28b10eb4d7e0" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_019e660c-e9e5-7cf6-be62-6a97bf23d5b5" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="6" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_019e660c-e9e5-7cf6-be62-6a97bf23d5b5" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_019e660c-e9e5-74d0-91ca-f658d6d9257e" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="7" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_019e660c-e9e5-74d0-91ca-f658d6d9257e" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_019e660c-e9e5-7d70-af8a-ef0c11f1d889" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="8" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_019e660c-e9e5-7d70-af8a-ef0c11f1d889" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_019e660c-e9e5-780d-a131-0352d1124dd9" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="9" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_019e660c-e9e5-780d-a131-0352d1124dd9" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_019e660c-e9e5-72c3-98d5-82fc22e45cd8" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="10" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_019e660c-e9e5-72c3-98d5-82fc22e45cd8" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_019e660c-e9e5-7260-81c1-2d326389f877" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_CityAreaCode"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="11" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_019e660c-e9e5-7260-81c1-2d326389f877" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_019e660c-e9e5-7f26-8b6f-7c58b3c97810" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_LocalPhoneNumber"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="12" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_019e660c-e9e5-7f26-8b6f-7c58b3c97810" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_019e660c-e9e5-728f-a267-9b08434882b9" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_WrittenCommunications"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="13" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_019e660c-e9e5-728f-a267-9b08434882b9" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_019e660c-e9e5-7bb0-9bf8-2abc98f9121d" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_SolicitingMaterial"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="14" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_019e660c-e9e5-7bb0-9bf8-2abc98f9121d" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_019e660c-e9e5-72e2-92c9-d6ab280a8523" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="15" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_019e660c-e9e5-72e2-92c9-d6ab280a8523" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_019e660c-e9e5-763d-8f8a-8f6860888086" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="16" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_019e660c-e9e5-763d-8f8a-8f6860888086" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_019e660c-e9e5-7167-b520-ca98b88a4b51" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_Security12bTitle"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="17" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_019e660c-e9e5-7167-b520-ca98b88a4b51" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_019e660c-e9e5-74c8-897f-dbf0ff24f389" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_TradingSymbol"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="18" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_019e660c-e9e5-74c8-897f-dbf0ff24f389" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_019e660c-e9e5-70fb-aa54-80c042eed6f5" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_SecurityExchangeName"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="19" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_019e660c-e9e5-70fb-aa54-80c042eed6f5" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_019e660c-e9e5-7610-a419-a75edd2e9ced" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="20" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_019e660c-e9e5-7610-a419-a75edd2e9ced" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_019e660c-e9e5-7b51-8b21-c50f46bcf886" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityCentralIndexKey"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="21" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_019e660c-e9e5-7b51-8b21-c50f46bcf886" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_019e660c-e9e5-7409-8416-c1ebcd6ce2e9" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_AmendmentFlag"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="22" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_019e660c-e9e5-7c49-898c-cfe4bc1d7ce7" xlink:to="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_019e660c-e9e5-7409-8416-c1ebcd6ce2e9" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
  </link:presentationLink>
</link:linkbase>
