Essex Property Trust, Inc. (ESS) vs Extra Space Storage Inc. (EXR)
EXR leads on 9 of 15 compared metrics, though ESS is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of Essex Property Trust, Inc. and Extra Space Storage Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 21, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
ESS
Essex Property Trust, Inc.
$273.71Real Estate
EXR
Extra Space Storage Inc.
$145.33Real Estate
Total return — ESS vs EXR
growth of $100 · last 22yESS +310.7%EXR +1062.6%EXR compounded faster
ESS EXR
ESS vs EXR: by the numbers
- •EXR is the larger company ($30.70B vs $17.59B market cap).
- •ESS trades at the lower earnings multiple (30.75 vs 33.03 P/E).
- •ESS converts more revenue to profit (30.17% vs 27.82% net margin).
- •EXR grew revenue faster over the past five years (19.26% vs 5.52% CAGR).
- •EXR pays the higher dividend yield (4.46% vs 3.76%).
Which is better, ESS or EXR?
Metric tally: ESS 6 · EXR 9It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueESS(lower P/E)
GrowthEXR(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeEXR(higher dividend yield)
QualityESS(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | ESS | EXR |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 30.75● | 33.03 |
| Forward P/E | 45.19 | 29.93● |
| P/S ratio | 9.25● | 9.44 |
| P/B ratio | 3.25 | 2.40● |
| PEG ratio | 8.36 | 2.04● |
| EV / EBITDA | 16.68 | 14.11● |
Profitability
| Metric | ESS | EXR |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 69.44%● | 27.87% |
| Operating margin | 38.38% | 43.25%● |
| Net margin | 30.17%● | 27.82% |
| ROE | 10.59%● | 7.08% |
| ROIC | 6.13%● | 4.89% |
Dividends
| Metric | ESS | EXR |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 3.76% | 4.46%● |
| Payout ratio | 98.94% | 141.18% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | ESS | EXR |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 5.52% | 19.26%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 3.68% | 4.35%● |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 1.67% | 2.16%● |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, ESS or EXR?
- It depends on your goal. value: ESS (lower P/E); growth: EXR (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: EXR (higher dividend yield); quality: ESS (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, EXR leads 9 to 6.
- Is ESS or EXR cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, ESS is cheaper: ESS trades at a 30.75 P/E and EXR at 33.03.
- Which has grown faster, ESS or EXR?
- Over the past five years, EXR grew revenue faster — ESS at a 5.52% CAGR versus EXR at 19.26%.
- Does ESS or EXR pay a bigger dividend?
- ESS yields 3.76% and EXR yields 4.46% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is ESS or EXR more profitable?
- ESS runs the higher net margin — ESS at 30.17% versus EXR at 27.82%.
- Which has been the better investment, ESS or EXR?
- Over the past 10-year, EXR delivered the higher annualized total return — ESS at 5.72% versus EXR at 9.30%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Essex Property Trust P/E ratioExtra Space Storage P/E ratioEssex Property Trust dividend yieldExtra Space Storage dividend yieldEssex Property Trust ROEExtra Space Storage ROEEssex Property Trust operating marginExtra Space Storage operating marginEssex Property Trust revenue growthExtra Space Storage revenue growthEssex Property Trust free cash flowExtra Space Storage free cash flow
Essex Property Trust & Extra Space Storage appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 21, 2026.