Condensed Consolidated Statements of Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2022	Mar. 31, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021	Mar. 31, 2021	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes	$ 55	$ (2,619)	$ 895	$ (1,521)
Distributions to capital holders:
Net income	74,555	70,014	51,814	48,921	$ 144,569	$ 100,735
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	$ (141)	$ (141)	$ (13,469)	$ 8,989	(282)	(4,480)
Common capital
Distributions to capital holders:
Common share, dividends (in dollars per share)	$ 0.18	$ 0.18	$ 0.10	$ 0.10
Class A common shares
Distributions to capital holders:
Common share, dividends (in dollars per share)	$ 0.18	$ 0.18	$ 0.10	$ 0.10
Class A common shares | Common capital
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes (in shares)	53,606	280,172	90,373	246,425
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes	$ 1	$ 2	$ 1	$ 2
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance	7,110,779	6,738,429	6,486,180	6,472,430	6,738,429	6,472,430
Share-based compensation	10,643	7,405	3,151	8,110
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes	55	(2,619)	895	(1,521)
Distributions to capital holders:
Preferred units	(4,346)	(5,763)	(12,615)	(13,782)
Common units	(72,284)	(72,186)	(37,541)	(36,967)
Net income	74,555	70,014	51,814	48,921	144,569	100,735
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	(141)	(141)	(13,469)	8,989	(282)	(4,480)
Total capital, ending balance	$ 6,964,261	$ 7,110,779	$ 6,173,505	$ 6,486,180	6,964,261	6,173,505
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Common capital
Distributions to capital holders:
Common share, dividends (in dollars per share)	$ 0.18	$ 0.18	$ 0.10	$ 0.10
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Class A common shares
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of Class A common units, net of offering costs		$ 375,640	$ 193,840
Redemptions of units				$ 0
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Series D perpetual preferred shares
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemptions of units			(268,750)
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Series E perpetual preferred shares
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemptions of units			(230,000)
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Series F perpetual preferred shares
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemptions of units	$ (155,000)
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Accumulated other comprehensive income
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance	1,949	2,090	15,849	6,860	2,090	6,860
Distributions to capital holders:
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	(141)	(141)	(13,469)	8,989
Total capital, ending balance	$ 1,808	$ 1,949	$ 2,380	$ 15,849	$ 1,808	$ 2,380
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Common capital
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance (in shares)	348,277,963	337,997,791	317,252,885	316,656,460	337,997,791	316,656,460
Total capital, beginning balance	$ 6,059,620	$ 5,686,193	$ 4,938,444	$ 4,928,819	$ 5,686,193	$ 4,928,819
Share-based compensation	$ 10,643	$ 7,405	$ 3,151	$ 8,110
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes (in shares)	53,606	280,172	90,373	246,425
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes	$ 55	$ (2,619)	$ 895	$ (1,521)
Distributions to capital holders:
Common units	(63,036)	(62,938)	(32,403)	(31,795)
Net income	$ 61,866	$ 55,939	$ 35,981	$ 30,214
Total capital, ending balance (in shares)	348,331,569	348,277,963	322,843,258	317,252,885	348,331,569	322,843,258
Total capital, ending balance	$ 6,063,872	$ 6,059,620	$ 5,124,029	$ 4,938,444	$ 6,063,872	$ 5,124,029
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Common capital | Class A common shares
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of Class A common units, net of offering costs (in shares)		10,000,000	5,500,000
Issuance of Class A common units, net of offering costs		$ 375,640	$ 193,840
Redemptions of units (in shares)				350,000
Redemptions of units				$ 4,617
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Common capital | Series D perpetual preferred shares
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemptions of units			(8,509)
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Common capital | Series E perpetual preferred shares
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemptions of units			(7,370)
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Common capital | Series F perpetual preferred shares
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemptions of units	(5,276)
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Preferred capital amount
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance	371,564	371,564	854,435	854,435	371,564	854,435
Distributions to capital holders:
Preferred units	(4,346)	(5,763)	(12,615)	(13,782)
Net income	4,346	5,763	12,615	13,782
Total capital, ending balance	221,840	$ 371,564	371,564	$ 854,435	$ 221,840	$ 371,564
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Preferred capital amount | Series D perpetual preferred shares
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemptions of units			(260,241)
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Preferred capital amount | Series E perpetual preferred shares
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemptions of units			$ (222,630)
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Preferred capital amount | Series F perpetual preferred shares
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemptions of units	$ (149,724)
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Limited Partners | Common capital
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance (in shares)	51,376,980	51,376,980	51,376,980	51,726,980	51,376,980	51,726,980
Total capital, beginning balance	$ 677,646	$ 678,582	$ 677,452	$ 682,316	$ 678,582	$ 682,316
Distributions to capital holders:
Common units	(9,248)	(9,248)	(5,138)	(5,172)
Net income	$ 8,343	$ 8,312	$ 3,218	$ 4,925
Total capital, ending balance (in shares)	51,376,980	51,376,980	51,376,980	51,376,980	51,376,980	51,376,980
Total capital, ending balance	$ 676,741	$ 677,646	$ 675,532	$ 677,452	$ 676,741	$ 675,532
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Limited Partners | Common capital | Class A common shares
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemptions of units (in shares)				350,000
Redemptions of units				$ (4,617)