Earnings per Share / Unit - Operating Partnership's Computation of Net Income per Common Unit (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ 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
Numerator:
Net income	$ 88,092	$ 115,414	$ 137,699	$ 61,665	$ 74,555	$ 70,014	$ 341,205	$ 206,234
Less:
Preferred distributions	3,486	3,486	3,486	3,486	4,346	5,763	10,458	13,595
Redemption of perpetual preferred units	0			0			0	5,276
Allocation to participating securities	238			188			854	583
Numerator for income per common share/unit–basic	73,875			50,527			288,753	162,661
Numerator for income per common share/unit–diluted	$ 73,875			$ 50,527			$ 288,753	$ 162,661
Effect of dilutive securities:
Share-based compensation plan and forward sale equity contracts	498,659			400,486			455,692	552,416
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P.
Numerator:
Net income	$ 88,092	$ 115,414	$ 137,699	$ 61,665	$ 74,555	$ 70,014	$ 341,205	$ 206,234
Less:
Preferred distributions	3,486			3,486			10,458	13,595
Redemption of perpetual preferred units	0			0			0	5,276
Allocation to participating securities	238			188			854	583
Numerator for income per common share/unit–basic	84,368			57,991			329,893	186,780
Numerator for income per common share/unit–diluted	$ 84,368			$ 57,991			$ 329,893	$ 186,780
Denominator:
Weighted-average common units outstanding - basic (in shares)	413,803,253			400,321,035			413,042,416	399,107,559
Effect of dilutive securities:
Share-based compensation plan and forward sale equity contracts	498,659			400,486			455,692	552,416
Weighted-average common units outstanding-diluted (in shares)	414,301,912			400,721,521			413,498,108	399,659,975
Net income per common share/unit
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.20			$ 0.14			$ 0.80	$ 0.47
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.20			$ 0.14			$ 0.80	$ 0.47