CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME - Unaudited - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
REVENUES
Income from real estate operations	$ 61,568	$ 57,575
Other income	21	17
Revenues	61,589	57,592
EXPENSES
Expenses from real estate operations	17,820	16,413
Depreciation and amortization	19,162	18,142
General and administrative	5,312	4,538
Expenses	42,294	39,093
OPERATING INCOME	19,295	18,499
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)
Interest expense	(9,065)	(8,805)
Gain on Sales of Real Estate Investments	11,332	0
Other	268	367
Net Income	21,830	10,061
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest in joint ventures	(119)	(131)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	21,711	9,930
Other comprehensive loss - cash flow hedges	(5,397)	(2,535)
TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME	$ 16,314	$ 7,395
BASIC PER COMMON SHARE DATA FOR NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. COMMON STOCKHOLDERS
Net income attributable to common stockholders	$ 0.67	$ 0.31
Weighted average shares outstanding	32,254	32,032
DILUTED PER COMMON SHARE DATA FOR NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. COMMON STOCKHOLDERS [Abstract]
Net income attributable to common stockholders	$ 0.67	$ 0.31
Weighted average shares outstanding	32,307	32,109
AMOUNTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. COMMON STOCKHOLDERS
Net income attributable to common stockholders	$ 21,711	$ 9,930