CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenues:
Total revenues	$ 943,042	$ 880,810	$ 796,447
Operating expenses (income):
Third-party development and management services	19,915	15,459	15,225
General and administrative	31,081	34,537	31,386
Depreciation and amortization	275,046	263,203	234,955
Ground/facility leases	14,151	11,855	10,213
Loss (gain) from disposition of real estate	53	(42,314)	632
Provision for impairment	17,214	0	15,317
Other operating income	0	(2,648)	0
Total operating expenses	763,152	668,215	654,541
Operating income	179,890	212,595	141,906
Nonoperating income (expenses):
Interest income	3,686	4,834	4,945
Interest expense	(111,287)	(99,228)	(71,122)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	(5,012)	(5,816)	(4,619)
Gain from extinguishment of debt	20,992	7,867	0
Other nonoperating income	0	1,301	0
Total nonoperating expenses	(91,621)	(91,042)	(70,796)
Income before income taxes	88,269	121,553	71,110
Income tax provision	(1,507)	(2,429)	(989)
Net income	86,762	119,124	70,121
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests – partially owned properties	(1,793)	(2,029)	(1,083)
Net income attributable to ACC, Inc. and Subsidiaries common stockholders	84,969	117,095	69,038
Other comprehensive (loss) income
Change in fair value of interest rate swaps and other	(12,549)	(1,696)	1,366
Comprehensive income	$ 72,420	$ 115,399	$ 70,404
Net income per share attributable to ACC, Inc. and Subsidiaries common stockholders
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.61	$ 0.84	$ 0.50
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.60	$ 0.84	$ 0.50
Weighted-average common shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	137,295,837	136,815,051	135,141,423
Diluted (in shares)	138,286,778	137,722,049	136,002,385
On-campus participating properties, net
Revenues:
Operating lease revenue	$ 36,346	$ 34,596	$ 33,945
Operating expenses (income):
Operating expenses for owned properties and on-campus participating properties	15,028	14,602	14,384
Owned Properties
Revenues:
Operating lease revenue	877,565	825,959	738,710
Operating expenses (income):
Operating expenses for owned properties and on-campus participating properties	390,664	373,521	332,429
AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP
Revenues:
Total revenues	943,042	880,810	796,447
Operating expenses (income):
Third-party development and management services	19,915	15,459	15,225
General and administrative	31,081	34,537	31,386
Depreciation and amortization	275,046	263,203	234,955
Ground/facility leases	14,151	11,855	10,213
Loss (gain) from disposition of real estate	53	(42,314)	632
Provision for impairment	17,214	0	15,317
Other operating income	0	(2,648)	0
Total operating expenses	763,152	668,215	654,541
Operating income	179,890	212,595	141,906
Nonoperating income (expenses):
Interest income	3,686	4,834	4,945
Interest expense	(111,287)	(99,228)	(71,122)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	(5,012)	(5,816)	(4,619)
Gain from extinguishment of debt	20,992	7,867	0
Other nonoperating income	0	1,301	0
Total nonoperating expenses	(91,621)	(91,042)	(70,796)
Income before income taxes	88,269	121,553	71,110
Income tax provision	(1,507)	(2,429)	(989)
Net income	86,762	119,124	70,121
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests – partially owned properties	(1,398)	(1,215)
Net income attributable to ACC, Inc. and Subsidiaries common stockholders	85,364	117,909	69,686
Series A preferred units distributions	(68)	(124)	(124)
Net income attributable to common unitholders	85,296	117,785	69,562
Other comprehensive (loss) income
Change in fair value of interest rate swaps and other	(12,549)	(1,696)	1,366
Comprehensive income	$ 72,747	$ 116,089	$ 70,928
Net income per unit attributable to common unitholders
Basic (in shares)	$ 0.61	$ 0.85	$ 0.50
Diluted (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.60	$ 0.84	$ 0.50
Weighted-average common units outstanding
Basic (in units)	137,826,949	137,586,759	136,160,609
Diluted (in units)	138,817,890	138,493,757	137,021,571
AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP | On-campus participating properties, net
Revenues:
Operating lease revenue	$ 36,346	$ 34,596	$ 33,945
Operating expenses (income):
Operating expenses for owned properties and on-campus participating properties	15,028	14,602	14,384
AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP | Owned Properties
Revenues:
Operating lease revenue	877,565	825,959	738,710
Operating expenses (income):
Operating expenses for owned properties and on-campus participating properties	390,664	373,521	332,429
AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP | Partially owned properties
Nonoperating income (expenses):
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests – partially owned properties	(1,398)	(1,215)	(435)
Third-party development services
Revenues:
Revenues	13,051	7,281	10,761
Third-party development services | AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP
Revenues:
Revenues	13,051	7,281	10,761
Third-party management services
Revenues:
Revenues	12,936	9,814	9,832
Third-party management services | AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP
Revenues:
Revenues	12,936	9,814	9,832
Resident services
Revenues:
Revenues	3,144	3,160	3,199
Resident services | AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 3,144	$ 3,160	$ 3,199