Condensed Consolidated Statements of Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2023	Mar. 31, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2022	Mar. 31, 2022	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes	$ 845	$ 3,508	$ (3,742)	$ 1,076	$ 55	$ (2,619)
Distributions to capital holders:
Net income	88,092	115,414	137,699	61,665	74,555	70,014	$ 341,205	$ 206,234
Total other comprehensive loss	(142)	(140)	(141)	(141)	(141)	(141)	(423)	(423)
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance	7,550,245	7,517,904	7,174,658	6,964,261	7,110,779	6,738,429	7,174,658	6,738,429
Share-based compensation	6,416	8,508	5,824	5,680	10,643	7,405
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes	845	3,508	(3,742)	1,076	55	(2,619)
Distributions to capital holders:
Preferred units (Note 10)	(3,486)	(3,486)	(3,486)	(3,486)	(4,346)	(5,763)
Common units	(91,434)	(91,463)	(91,280)	(72,252)	(72,284)	(72,186)
Net income	88,092	115,414	137,699	61,665	74,555	70,014	341,205	206,234
Total other comprehensive loss	(142)	(140)	(141)	(141)	(141)	(141)	(423)	(423)
Total capital, ending balance	7,550,536	7,550,245	7,517,904	7,142,435	6,964,261	7,110,779	7,550,536	7,142,435
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Class A Common Units
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of Class A common units, net of offering costs			298,372	185,632		375,640
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Series F perpetual preferred shares
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemption of Series F perpetual preferred units					(155,000)
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Accumulated other comprehensive income
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance	1,245	1,385	1,526	1,808	1,949	2,090	1,526	2,090
Distributions to capital holders:
Total other comprehensive loss	(142)	(140)	(141)	(141)	(141)	(141)
Total capital, ending balance	$ 1,103	$ 1,245	$ 1,385	$ 1,667	$ 1,808	$ 1,949	$ 1,103	$ 1,667
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Common capital
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance (in shares)	362,000,767	361,781,367	353,516,901	348,331,569	348,277,963	337,997,791	353,516,901	337,997,791
Total capital, beginning balance	$ 6,640,642	$ 6,610,757	$ 6,272,815	$ 6,063,872	$ 6,059,620	$ 5,686,193	$ 6,272,815	$ 5,686,193
Share-based compensation	$ 6,416	$ 8,508	$ 5,824	$ 5,680	$ 10,643	$ 7,405
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes (in shares)	55,156	219,400	264,466	112,966	53,606	280,172
Common units issued under share-based compensation plans, net of units withheld for employee taxes	$ 845	$ 3,508	$ (3,742)	$ 1,076	$ 55	$ (2,619)
Distributions to capital holders:
Common units	(80,131)	(80,160)	(79,977)	(63,004)	(63,036)	(62,938)
Net income	$ 74,113	$ 98,029	$ 117,465	$ 50,715	$ 61,866	$ 55,939
Total capital, ending balance (in shares)	362,055,923	362,000,767	361,781,367	353,444,535	348,331,569	348,277,963	362,055,923	353,444,535
Total capital, ending balance	$ 6,641,885	$ 6,640,642	$ 6,610,757	$ 6,243,971	$ 6,063,872	$ 6,059,620	$ 6,641,885	$ 6,243,971
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Common capital | Class A Common Units
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of Class A common units, net of offering costs (in shares)			8,000,000	5,000,000		10,000,000
Issuance of Class A common units, net of offering costs			$ 298,372	$ 185,632		$ 375,640
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Common capital | Series F perpetual preferred shares
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemption of Series F perpetual preferred units					(5,276)
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Preferred capital amount
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Total capital, beginning balance	221,840	221,840	221,840	221,840	371,564	371,564	221,840	371,564
Distributions to capital holders:
Preferred units (Note 10)	(3,486)	(3,486)	(3,486)	(3,486)	(4,346)	(5,763)
Net income	3,486	3,486	3,486	3,486	4,346	5,763
Total capital, ending balance	$ 221,840	$ 221,840	$ 221,840	$ 221,840	221,840	$ 371,564	$ 221,840	$ 221,840
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | General Partner | Preferred capital amount | Series F perpetual preferred shares
Increase (Decrease) in Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemption of Series F perpetual preferred 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	51,376,980	51,376,980	51,376,980	51,376,980	51,376,980
Total capital, beginning balance	$ 686,518	$ 683,922	$ 678,477	$ 676,741	$ 677,646	$ 678,582	$ 678,477	$ 678,582
Distributions to capital holders:
Common units	(11,303)	(11,303)	(11,303)	(9,248)	(9,248)	(9,248)
Net income	$ 10,493	$ 13,899	$ 16,748	$ 7,464	$ 8,343	$ 8,312
Total capital, ending balance (in shares)	51,376,980	51,376,980	51,376,980	51,376,980	51,376,980	51,376,980	51,376,980	51,376,980
Total capital, ending balance	$ 685,708	$ 686,518	$ 683,922	$ 674,957	$ 676,741	$ 677,646	$ 685,708	$ 674,957