Public Utilities, Approved One-Time Increase (Decrease) to Customers, Amount [Line Items]

No definition available.

Name:	mdu_PublicUtilitiesApprovedOneTimeIncreaseDecreasetoCustomersAmount
Namespace Prefix:	mdu_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of public utility's approved rate increase (decrease) by regulatory agency.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesApprovedRateIncreaseDecreaseAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesGeneralDisclosuresLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of public utility's interim rate increase (decrease) allowed while waiting final decision of regulatory agency.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInterimRateIncreaseDecreaseAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of public utility's interim rate increase (decrease) allowed while waiting final decision of regulatory agency.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesInterimRateIncreaseDecreasePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of public utility's requested rate increase (decrease) with regulatory agency.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesRequestedRateIncreaseDecreaseAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of public utility's requested rate increase (decrease) with regulatory agency.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesRequestedRateIncreaseDecreasePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RegulatoryAgencyAxis=mdu_MNPUCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilityAxis=us-gaap_GasDistributionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=mdu_GreatPlainsNaturalGasCo.Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesRegulatoryProceedingAxis=mdu_PendingRateCaseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=mdu_TaxCutsandJobsActMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

MNPUC (Details) - MNPUC [Member] - Gas Distribution [Member] - Great Plains Natural Gas Co. [Member] - USD ($)			1 Months Ended
	Sep. 27, 2019	May 01, 2019	Sep. 16, 2019
Pending Rate Case [Member]
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Line Items]
Public Utilities, Requested Rate Increase (Decrease), Amount	$ 2,900,000
Public Utilities, Requested Rate Increase (Decrease), Percentage	12.00%
Public Utilities, Interim Rate Increase (Decrease), Amount	$ 2,600,000
Public Utilities, Interim Rate Increase (Decrease), Percentage	11.00%
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act [Member]
Public Utilities, General Disclosures [Line Items]
Public Utilities, Approved Rate Increase (Decrease), Amount		$ (400,000)
Approved Customer Refunds			$ (600,000)