Condensed Consolidated Statements of Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Repurchases of Class A units		$ (34,969)
Distributions to equity holders:
Net income	$ 33,091	21,525
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	(241)	9,433
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance	5,973,742	5,875,824
Share-based compensation	952	975
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes	(760)	(408)
Repurchases of Class A units		(34,969)
Redemptions of Class A units	0
Distributions to equity holders:
Preferred units	(13,782)	(14,597)
Common units	(17,630)	(17,133)
Net income	33,091	21,525
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	(241)	9,433
Total capital, ending balance	5,975,372	5,840,650
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Total partners' capital
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance	5,973,742	5,877,173
Share-based compensation	952	975
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes	(760)	(408)
Repurchases of Class A units		(34,969)
Distributions to equity holders:
Preferred units	(13,782)	(14,597)
Common units	(17,630)	(17,133)
Net income	33,091	21,536
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	(241)	9,433
Total capital, ending balance	5,975,372	5,842,010
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Accumulated other comprehensive income
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance	8,786	75
Distributions to equity holders:
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	(241)	9,433
Total capital, ending balance	8,545	9,508
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Noncontrolling interest
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance	0	(1,349)
Distributions to equity holders:
Net income		(11)
Total capital, ending balance	0	(1,360)
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Common Units
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance	$ 4,390,137	$ 4,248,236
Beginning balance (in shares)	296,649,621	286,749,712
Share-based compensation	$ 952	$ 975
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes	$ (760)	$ (408)
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes (in shares)	77,830	59,187
Repurchases of Class A units		$ (34,969)
Repurchase of Class A common units (in shares)		(1,804,163)
Redemptions of Class A units	$ (6,510)
Redemptions of Class A units (in shares)	500,000
Distributions to equity holders:
Common units	$ (14,889)	$ (14,365)
Net income	16,283	5,814
Total capital, ending balance	$ 4,398,233	$ 4,205,283
Ending balance (in shares)	297,227,451	285,004,736
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Preferred Shares/Units
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance	$ 854,435	$ 901,318
Distributions to equity holders:
Preferred units	(13,782)	(14,597)
Net income	13,782	14,597
Total capital, ending balance	854,435	901,318
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Limited Partners | Common Units
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance	$ 720,384	$ 727,544
Beginning balance (in shares)	55,316,826	55,350,153
Redemptions of Class A units	$ 6,510
Redemptions of Class A units (in shares)	(500,000)
Distributions to equity holders:
Common units	$ (2,741)	$ (2,768)
Net income	3,026	1,125
Total capital, ending balance	$ 714,159	$ 725,901
Ending balance (in shares)	54,816,826	55,350,153