ESS Dividend Yield 2026: Essex Property Trust, Inc.

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Data last updated: Sep 01, 2026

Snapshot (as of Sep 01, 2026): Essex Property Trust, Inc. (ESS) pays a $10.32 annual dividend ($2.59 quarterly), yielding 3.66% at $281.88/share. Next ex-dividend date 2026-06-30. Source: Yahoo Finance, aggregated by MerryDiv.

Dividend Yield: 3.66%

Annual Dividend: $10.32 per share

Payout Ratio: 159.2% (based on depressed trailing earnings — see safety analysis below)

Ex-Dividend Date: 2026-06-30

Dividend Frequency: quarterly

Sector: Real Estate

Years of Dividend History: 33

About Essex Property Trust, Inc. Dividend

Essex Property Trust, Inc. owns and operates roughly 60,000 apartment homes across 246 communities on the West Coast. The Essex Property Trust, Inc. dividend currently pays $10.32 per share annually, with quarterly payments and the next ex-dividend date on June 30, 2026. That works out to a 3.63% yield at the current price. With a beta of 0.715, ESS stock moves less than the broader market, which appeals to income-focused investors who prioritize lower price volatility.

Dividend Safety

Essex Property Trust, Inc. pays out 159.2% of earnings as dividends, a payout ratio classified as high (above 75%). That figure reflects the REIT structure, where taxable income often understates actual cash generation from apartment operations across 246 communities. Essex Property Trust, Inc. dividend safety rests on the demand for residential housing in its West Coast markets, though a payout ratio this far above 100% leaves little room for earnings pressure without affecting the dividend.

Essex Property Trust, Inc. (ESS) Dividend Growth Rate, CAGR, and History

Over the past 15 years, Essex Property Trust, Inc. dividend history shows a CAGR of 6.2% per year from 2010 to 2025. Per-share payments grew from $4.13 to $10.16 over that period (2026 is a partial year and excluded from this calculation). The smallest annual increase in the window was 0.6% in 2021, showing that growth has not always kept pace with inflation.

Essex Property Trust, Inc. Dividend Growth Rate (CAGR)

Period	CAGR	From	To
3-Year	+4.9%	$8.80 (2022)	$10.16 (2025)
5-Year	+4.1%	$8.31 (2020)	$10.16 (2025)
10-Year	+5.8%	$5.76 (2015)	$10.16 (2025)

Is Essex Property Trust, Inc. a Good Dividend Stock?

ESS fits income-focused investors who want exposure to West Coast residential real estate with a moderate yield and meaningful long-term dividend growth. The current yield of 3.63% sits above the 5-year average of 3.09%, which means buyers today are getting more income per dollar than the historical norm. The trade-off is a payout ratio of 159.2%, which is high even by REIT standards, and a dividend growth streak of just one consecutive year. The moderate (2-4%) yield and 6.2% long-term growth rate are the draws; the elevated payout ratio is the risk investors accept alongside them.

Recent Essex Property Trust, Inc. Dividend Payments

Payment Date	Amount per Share
2026-06-30	$2.5900
2026-03-31	$2.5900
2026-01-02	$2.5700
2025-09-30	$2.5700
2025-06-30	$2.5700
2025-03-31	$2.5700
2025-01-02	$2.4500
2024-09-30	$2.4500
2024-06-28	$2.4500
2024-03-27	$2.4500

Essex Property Trust, Inc. Annual Dividend History

Year	Total Dividends
2026	$7.7500
2025	$10.1600
2024	$7.3500
2023	$9.2400
2022	$8.8000

Related Real Estate Dividend Stocks

• WELL — Welltower Inc. (1.28% yield)
• PLD — Prologis, Inc. (2.98% yield)
• AMT — American Tower Corporation (3.97% yield)
• PSA — Public Storage (3.83% yield)
• O — Realty Income Corporation (5.28% yield)
• VTR — Ventas, Inc. (2.18% yield)

Frequently Asked Questions

Does ESS pay dividends?

Yes, Essex Property Trust, Inc. (ESS) pays a $2.59 quarterly dividend per share, yielding 3.66%.

How often does Essex Property Trust, Inc. pay dividends?

Essex Property Trust, Inc. pays dividends quarterly. The last dividend amount was $2.59 per share, with the next ex-dividend date set for June 30, 2026.

What is Essex Property Trust, Inc.'s current dividend yield?

The current ESS dividend yield is 3.63%, above the 5-year average yield of 3.09%. That gap means today's buyers are receiving more income per dollar invested than the stock's recent historical norm.

Has Essex Property Trust, Inc. ever cut its dividend?

No year-over-year decline appears in the available dividend history from 2012 through 2025. The data window covers 15 years, so this reflects the available record, not a guarantee of the full history.

How fast has Essex Property Trust, Inc. grown its dividend?

Essex Property Trust, Inc. has grown its dividend at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2% per year from 2010 to 2025. Per-share payments rose from $4.13 to $10.16 over that period.

Is Essex Property Trust, Inc. dividend safe?

The payout ratio is 159.2%, which is high (above 75%) and signals that reported earnings alone do not cover the dividend. For REITs, cash flow from apartment operations is the more relevant coverage metric, but the data block does not include that figure.

What type of investor is Essex Property Trust, Inc. best suited for?

ESS suits income-focused investors who want a moderate yield above 3%, some long-term dividend growth, and lower price volatility reflected in a beta of 0.715. The high payout ratio makes it less suited for investors who prioritize dividend safety margins.

How does Essex Property Trust, Inc. compare to its own historical yield?

The current yield of 3.63% is above the 5-year average of 3.09%. That 54-basis-point gap means the stock is offering more income relative to price than it has on average over the past five years.

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