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

<!--XBRL Document Created with the Workiva Platform-->
<!--Copyright 2026 Workiva-->
<!--r:01a08c82-2f2c-7954-8529-de1a2ff7c3f7,g:27bd4163-2f86-4e8b-af3b-ba76091e4289-->
<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-20260911.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_01a08c82-2f2c-743b-ba9a-1f3c521941ab" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_CoverAbstract"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntitiesTable_01a08c82-2f2c-7cbe-86b0-2042ad583fe8" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-743b-ba9a-1f3c521941ab" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntitiesTable_01a08c82-2f2c-7cbe-86b0-2042ad583fe8" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_LegalEntityAxis_01a08c82-2f2c-7b86-9369-88fe8ee30343" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7cbe-86b0-2042ad583fe8" xlink:to="loc_dei_LegalEntityAxis_01a08c82-2f2c-7b86-9369-88fe8ee30343" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityDomain_01a08c82-2f2c-7576-af12-59f3e0ef118c" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7b86-9369-88fe8ee30343" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityDomain_01a08c82-2f2c-7576-af12-59f3e0ef118c" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_ess_EssexPortfolioL.P.Member_01a08c82-2f2c-7c46-8060-4adedacf798a" xlink:href="ess-20260911.xsd#ess_EssexPortfolioL.P.Member"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="1" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityDomain_01a08c82-2f2c-7576-af12-59f3e0ef118c" xlink:to="loc_ess_EssexPortfolioL.P.Member_01a08c82-2f2c-7c46-8060-4adedacf798a" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7cbe-86b0-2042ad583fe8" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityInformationLineItems_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentType_01a08c82-2f2c-7ba7-8dd7-2619fb960374" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentType_01a08c82-2f2c-7ba7-8dd7-2619fb960374" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_01a08c82-2f2c-7383-90bf-893b57aed9a5" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_01a08c82-2f2c-7383-90bf-893b57aed9a5" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_01a08c82-2f2c-7ab1-b51b-56ed5157c8b6" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_01a08c82-2f2c-7ab1-b51b-56ed5157c8b6" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_01a08c82-2f2c-7b08-8d1d-d74a76a7fae6" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_01a08c82-2f2c-7b08-8d1d-d74a76a7fae6" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_01a08c82-2f2c-7621-953f-50cc99455163" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_01a08c82-2f2c-7621-953f-50cc99455163" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_01a08c82-2f2c-76c0-8356-4e73b5f482ee" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_01a08c82-2f2c-76c0-8356-4e73b5f482ee" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_01a08c82-2f2c-77e2-bf26-7c7559e9087b" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_01a08c82-2f2c-77e2-bf26-7c7559e9087b" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_01a08c82-2f2c-7f43-bd7d-b07bcd4c0b77" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_01a08c82-2f2c-7f43-bd7d-b07bcd4c0b77" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_01a08c82-2f2c-76cd-9f27-0fc8c1275cca" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_01a08c82-2f2c-76cd-9f27-0fc8c1275cca" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_01a08c82-2f2c-7cf6-bc73-249ea82bee31" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_01a08c82-2f2c-7cf6-bc73-249ea82bee31" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_01a08c82-2f2c-7d99-895e-1e31308ea6cb" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_01a08c82-2f2c-7d99-895e-1e31308ea6cb" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_01a08c82-2f2c-79c9-ab23-57aade76b3a9" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_01a08c82-2f2c-79c9-ab23-57aade76b3a9" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_01a08c82-2f2c-7f96-91b2-a5654d3994d1" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_01a08c82-2f2c-7f96-91b2-a5654d3994d1" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_01a08c82-2f2c-7bc6-a675-2e79ae54baed" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_01a08c82-2f2c-7bc6-a675-2e79ae54baed" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_01a08c82-2f2c-7ce8-b303-fb26ff9bd788" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_01a08c82-2f2c-7ce8-b303-fb26ff9bd788" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_01a08c82-2f2c-7284-9115-6d8e36b5b612" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_01a08c82-2f2c-7284-9115-6d8e36b5b612" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_01a08c82-2f2c-7c89-86e3-2015cf5d2291" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_01a08c82-2f2c-7c89-86e3-2015cf5d2291" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_01a08c82-2f2c-7f35-9889-1064acd8bee0" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_01a08c82-2f2c-7f35-9889-1064acd8bee0" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_01a08c82-2f2c-71e0-bbf8-261d7cac7a35" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_01a08c82-2f2c-71e0-bbf8-261d7cac7a35" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_01a08c82-2f2c-7914-bd02-dda9981eb3fc" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_01a08c82-2f2c-7914-bd02-dda9981eb3fc" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_01a08c82-2f2c-7c5e-ba2d-4816598831b5" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_01a08c82-2f2c-7c5e-ba2d-4816598831b5" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_01a08c82-2f2c-7cfc-b5c9-8495b63bc8c6" 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_01a08c82-2f2c-7224-aec8-0f1ec572d4df" xlink:to="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_01a08c82-2f2c-7cfc-b5c9-8495b63bc8c6" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
  </link:presentationLink>
</link:linkbase>
