Trailing Dividend / Share
$10.15
Essex Property Trust, Inc. (ESS) Dividend History
Income profile from 1994 to 2026 with payout safety and yield-on-cost trend
Dividend Yield
3.8%
Payout Ratio
97.3%
At Risk
Dividend Streak
11 years
ESS Dividend Income Check
Safety
97.3% payout ratio with at risk safety profile.
Consistency
11 straight years of dividend increases.
Income Trend
Yield on cost is 4.5% and trend is rising.
ESS Dividend Scorecard
Yield & Income
Dividend Yield3.8%
Trailing DPS$10.15
FrequencySemi-Annual
Payments / 12M4
Payout Safety
Earnings Payout97.3%
Earnings SafetyAt Risk
FCF Payout68.0%
FCF SafetyAdequate
Piotroski F-Score6/9
Growth
Growth Streak11 years
3Y CAGR4.9%
5Y CAGR4.1%
Yield on Cost (5Y)4.5%
YOC Trendrising
Total Returns
Buyback Yield0.0%
Total Shareholder Yield3.9%
1Y Total Return-3.9%
5Y Total Return11.7%
Div Contribution (5Y)16.7%
Estimated $10K growth (return + dividends):
5Y ago$11,16710Y ago$15,34120Y ago$36,206
Uses precomputed total return metrics from screening data (not lot-by-lot dividend reinvestment transactions). Different time windows can produce different outcomes depending on market regime and entry point.
ESS Income Growth Story
Dividend per share and yield on cost over time (33 years of payments)
ESS Dividend Safety Story
EPS is the container — dividend is what's drawn out
Dividend Analysis
Payout Safety
Essex Property Trust, Inc. distributes 97.3% of earnings as dividends (At Risk). When measured against free cash flow—a stricter test—the payout ratio stands at 68.0%, rated "Adequate".
Piotroski F-Score: 6/9 — moderate financial health.
Growth Track Record
ESS has raised its dividend for 11 consecutive years, with a 3-year CAGR of 4.9% and 5-year CAGR of 4.1%.
Total Shareholder Returns
Beyond cash dividends, ESS returns capital through share repurchases. The combined picture: 3.8% dividend yield, 0.0% buyback yield, 3.9% total shareholder yield.
Income Trend & Total Return
Yield on cost (5-year basis) has reached 4.5% and is currently rising. The 5-year total return is 11.7%, with dividends contributing 16.7% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $15,341 today.
Elevated payout ratio — dividend sustainability should be monitored closely.
ESS Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Semi-Annual
TTM Total$46.98
Avg/Payment$2.3490
Latest Change+0.8%
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2026Latest | $2.5900 | ↑ +0.8% | 4.26% | Apr 15, 2026 |
| Jan 2, 2026 | $2.5700 | — | 4.00% | Jan 15, 2026 |
| Sep 30, 2025 | $2.5700 | — | 3.80% | Oct 15, 2025 |
| Jun 30, 2025 | $2.5700 | — | 3.54% | Jul 15, 2025 |
| Mar 31, 2025 | $2.5700 | ↑ +4.9% | 3.24% | Apr 15, 2025 |
| Jan 2, 2025 | $2.4500 | — | 3.51% | Jan 15, 2025 |
| Sep 30, 2024 | $2.4500 | — | 3.27% | Oct 11, 2024 |
| Jun 28, 2024 | $2.4500 | — | 3.50% | Jul 12, 2024 |
ESS Dividend vs Peers
Comparable companies in the same industry
#8 yield in peer group
Div Yield
3.8%
#8 of 9
Safety
At Risk
97.3% payout
Streak
11Y
4.1% 5Y CAGR
Total Shareholder
3.9%
#9 of 9
| Company | Mkt Cap | Yield | Payout | Streak | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESSEssex Property Trust… | $17.2B | 3.8% | 97.3% | 11 | At Risk |
 EQREquity Residential | $24.8B | 4.1% | 93.4% | 8 | At Risk |
 AVBAvalonBay Communitie… | $25.8B | 3.8% | 94.3% | 3 | At Risk |
 UDRUDR, Inc. | $12.0B | 4.6% | 1.5% | 15 | Sustainable |
 CPTCamden Property Trus… | $11.0B | 4.1% | 1.2% | 4 | Sustainable |
3rd  MAAMid-America Apartmen… | $15.1B | 4.7% | 1.6% | 14 | Sustainable |
 IRTIndependence Realty … | $3.9B | 4.0% | 2.7% | 4 | Sustainable |
1st  ELMEElme Communities | $192M | 33.5% | — | 0 | Unknown |
2nd  NHINational Health Inve… | $3.5B | 4.9% | 1.2% | 1 | Sustainable |
ESS Annual Dividend History (1994–2026)
33 years of dividend data
GrowthDecline
| Year | DPS | YoY | Pmts | EPS | Payout | Coverage | YOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $5.16 | — | 2 | — | — | — | 2.3% |
| 2025 | $10.16 | 38.2% | 4 | $10.41 | 97.6% | 1.02x | 4.5% |
| 2024 | $7.35 | -20.5% | 3 | $11.54 | 63.7% | 1.57x | 3.2% |
| 2023 | $9.24 | 5.0% | 4 | $6.32 | 146.2% | 0.68x | 4.0% |
| 2022 | $8.80 | 5.3% | 4 | $6.27 | 140.4% | 0.71x | 3.9% |
| 2021 | $8.36 | 0.6% | 4 | $7.51 | 111.3% | 0.90x | 3.7% |
| 2020 | $8.31 | 6.5% | 4 | $8.68 | 95.7% | 1.04x | 3.6% |
| 2019 | $7.80 | 4.8% | 4 | $6.66 | 117.1% | 0.85x | 3.4% |
| 2018 | $7.44 | 6.3% | 4 | $5.90 | 126.1% | 0.79x | 3.3% |
| 2017 | $7.00 | 9.4% | 4 | $6.57 | 106.5% | 0.94x | 3.1% |
Full ESS Stock Analysis
Analyst consensus, bull case, AI-generated risk factors, and peer comparison — all in one place.
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Start ComparisonESS — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying ESS stock.
How much dividend does ESS pay per share?
Essex Property Trust, Inc. (ESS) pays a trailing 12-month dividend of $10.15 per share, with a current dividend yield of +3.8%. Payments are made Semi-Annual.
When is ESS's next ex-dividend date?
ESS's most recent ex-dividend date is N/A. You must own shares before the ex-dividend date to receive the next payment. ESS typically pays dividends Semi-Annual.
Is ESS's dividend safe?
ESS's dividend safety is rated "At Risk" based on an earnings payout ratio of +97.3% and FCF payout ratio of +68.0%. With 11 consecutive years of dividend growth, the track record supports sustainability.
Is ESS a Dividend Achiever?
Yes, Essex Property Trust, Inc. is classified as a Dividend Achiever with 11 consecutive years of dividend increases. The 5-year dividend CAGR is +4.1%, demonstrating modest dividend growth.
How often does ESS pay dividends?
Essex Property Trust, Inc. pays dividends Semi-Annual. The trailing 12-month total is $10.15 per share. Dividend data on this page covers 32+ years from 1994 to 2026.
How much would $10,000 invested in ESS grow with dividend reinvestment?
With dividends reinvested (DRIP), $10,000 invested in ESS five years ago would be worth approximately $11,167 today. This includes both price appreciation and compounded dividend reinvestment. Use the DRIP calculator above for other time periods.
What is ESS's yield on cost for long-term holders?
ESS's yield on cost — the current dividend divided by the original purchase price — is +4.5% for a 5-year holding period. This means long-term holders earn a higher effective yield than today's +3.8% market yield, thanks to consistent dividend growth.