Essex Property (ESS) vs Mid-America Apartment Communities (MAA)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Essex Property (ESS) has outperformed Mid-America Apartment Communities (MAA) over the past year, gaining 2.3% versus a loss of 16.2%. Over five years, ESS leads with a -19.5% price change compared with -42.2% for MAA. Essex Property is the larger company by market cap ($18.48 billion vs $13.59 billion), about 1.4 times the size.
On valuation, Mid-America Apartment Communities trades at a lower forward P/E (34.8x vs 42.6x for Essex Property). Mid-America Apartment Communities offers the higher dividend yield (5.33% vs 3.85%). Essex Property converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 37.2% versus 20.2%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | ESS | MAA |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $268.05 | $114.21 |
| Market cap | $18.48B | $13.59B |
| 1-day change | -1.63% | -2.38% |
| YTD return | +2.43% | -17.78% |
| 1-year return | +2.28% | -16.16% |
| 5-year return | -19.53% | -42.19% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 42.35 | 33.39 |
| Forward P/E | 42.55 | 34.82 |
| EPS (TTM) | $6.33 | $3.42 |
| Dividend yield | 3.85% | 5.33% |
| Annual dividend | $10.32 | $6.09 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $1.89B | $2.21B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +6.36% | +0.83% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $702.77M | $446.91M |
| Gross margin | 69.89% | — |
| Operating margin | 47.65% | — |
| Net margin | 37.24% | 20.23% |
| 52-week high | $303.35 | $144.41 |
| 52-week low | $238.46 | $114.19 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -11.64% | -20.91% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | hold |
| Avg. price target upside | +13.44% | +23.81% |
| Average volume | 498.53K | 1.08M |
| Shares outstanding | 64.27M | 116.02M |
| Employees | 1,686 | 2,507 |
| Sector | Real Estate | Real Estate |
| Industry | Real Estate Investment Trusts | Real Estate Investment Trusts |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- ESS has outperformed MAA by 18.4 percentage points over the past year.
- Essex Property trades at a higher earnings multiple (42.3x vs 33.4x trailing P/E).
- Mid-America Apartment Communities offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (5.33% vs 3.85%).
- Essex Property is more profitable, keeping 37.2 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 20.2 cents for Mid-America Apartment Communities.
- Essex Property grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+6.36% vs +0.83%).
About Essex Property
ESS stock →Essex Property Trust, Inc., an S&P 500 company, is a fully integrated real estate investment trust. The firm acquires, develops, redevelops, and manages multifamily residential properties in selected West Coast markets.
Real Estate · Real Estate Investment Trusts · 1,686 employees
About Mid-America Apartment Communities
MAA stock →Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. an S&P 500 company, is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on delivering full-cycle and superior investment performance for shareholders through the ownership, management, acquisition, development and redevelopment of quality apartment communities primarily in the Southeast, Southwest and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.
Real Estate · Real Estate Investment Trusts · 2,507 employees
ESS vs MAA FAQ
Which is bigger, Essex Property or Mid-America Apartment Communities?
Essex Property (ESS) is larger, with a market capitalization of $18.48B compared with $13.59B for Mid-America Apartment Communities (MAA).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ESS or MAA?
ESS returned +2.28% over the past 12 months, compared with -16.16% for MAA (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, ESS or MAA?
MAA has the lower trailing P/E at 33.4, versus 42.3 for ESS. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Essex Property or Mid-America Apartment Communities?
Mid-America Apartment Communities has the higher yield at 5.33%, compared with 3.85% for Essex Property.
Are Essex Property and Mid-America Apartment Communities in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry within the Real Estate sector.