Represents a period when debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid.

No definition available.

Name:	acc_DebtInstrumentMaturityPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	acc_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents amount of recorded original issue discount on debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	acc_DebtInstrumentOriginalIssueDiscount
Namespace Prefix:	acc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents percentage of proceedings received as to par value, proceeding above the part value represents premium and below the par value signifies discount.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	acc_DebtInstrumentProceedsAsPercentageOfParValue
Namespace Prefix:	acc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
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-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109500613&loc=SL6036836-161870

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow from borrowings supported by a written promise to pay an obligation that is uncollateralized (where debt is not backed by the pledge of collateral).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3255-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromUnsecuredNotesPayable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow to repay long-term debt that is not secured by collateral. Excludes repayments of tax exempt unsecured debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=acc_SeniorNotesApril2013Member
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=acc_SeniorNotesJune2014Member
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=acc_SeniorNotesSeptember2015Member
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=acc_SeniorNotesOctober2017Member
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=acc_SeniorNotesJune2019Member
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Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
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Period Type:

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Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=acc_SeniorNotesJanuary2020Member
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Debt - Summary of Unsecured Notes (Details) - USD ($)	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Debt - Summary of Unsecured Notes (Details) - USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from unsecured notes				$ 398,816,000	$ 0	$ 399,648,000
AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds from unsecured notes				398,816,000	$ 0	$ 399,648,000
AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP \| Senior notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount				2,000,000,000
Original Issue Discount				4,212,000
AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP \| Senior Notes - April 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount				$ 400,000,000
Percentage of par value				99.659%
Coupon				3.75%
Yield				3.791%
Original Issue Discount				$ 1,364,000
Term (Years)				10 years
AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP \| Senior Notes - June 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount				$ 400,000,000
Percentage of par value				99.861%
Coupon				4.125%
Yield				4.269%
Original Issue Discount				$ 556,000
Term (Years)				10 years
AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP \| Senior Notes - September 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount				$ 400,000,000
Percentage of par value				99.811%
Coupon				3.35%
Yield				3.391%
Original Issue Discount				$ 756,000
Term (Years)				5 years
AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP \| Senior Notes - October 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount				$ 400,000,000
Percentage of par value				99.912%
Coupon				3.625%
Yield				3.635%
Original Issue Discount				$ 352,000
Term (Years)				10 years
AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP \| Senior Notes - June 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount		$ 400,000,000		$ 400,000,000
Percentage of par value		99.704%		99.704%
Coupon		3.30%		3.30%
Yield				3.68%
Original Issue Discount				$ 1,184,000
Term (Years)		7 years		7 years
Proceeds from unsecured notes		$ 394,000,000.0
Subsequent Event \| AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP \| Senior Notes - September 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Coupon			3.35%
Pay-off of unsecured term loans			$ 400,000,000
Subsequent Event \| AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP LP \| Senior Notes - January 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount	$ 400,000,000
Percentage of par value	99.81%
Coupon	2.85%
Yield	2.872%
Term (Years)	10 years
Proceeds from unsecured notes	$ 394,300,000
Pay-off of unsecured term loans	$ 400,000,000.0