CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME - Unaudited - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
REVENUES
Income from real estate operations	$ 66,137	$ 61,568
Other income	17	21
Revenues	66,154	61,589
EXPENSES
Expenses from real estate operations	19,007	17,820
Depreciation and amortization	20,225	19,162
General and administrative	5,478	5,312
Expenses	44,710	42,294
OPERATING INCOME	21,444	19,295
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)
Interest expense	(8,686)	(9,065)
Gain on Sales of Real Estate Investments	0	11,332
Other	215	268
Net Income	12,973	21,830
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest in joint ventures	(154)	(119)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	12,819	21,711
Other comprehensive income (loss) - cash flow hedges	1,410	(5,397)
TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME	$ 14,229	$ 16,314
BASIC PER COMMON SHARE DATA FOR NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. COMMON STOCKHOLDERS
Net income attributable to common stockholders	$ 0.38	$ 0.67
Weighted average shares outstanding	33,361	32,254
DILUTED PER COMMON SHARE DATA FOR NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. COMMON STOCKHOLDERS [Abstract]
Net income attributable to common stockholders	$ 0.38	$ 0.67
Weighted average shares outstanding	33,409	32,307
AMOUNTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO EASTGROUP PROPERTIES, INC. COMMON STOCKHOLDERS
Net income attributable to common stockholders	$ 12,819	$ 21,711