LEASES - Lessor (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Future minimum lease payments
2020		$ 22,568
2021		22,055
2022		20,443
2023		19,057
2024		17,304
Thereafter		78,818
Total future minimum payments		180,245
Variable lease expense		400
LAND
Lessor leases
Proceeds from sale of real estate	$ 38,000
Future minimum lease payments
Variable lease expense		$ 664
Apartment Homes
Lessor leases
Percentage of lease revenue		98.10%
Option to extend		true
Apartment Homes \| Maximum
Lessor leases
Lease terms		12 months
Retail and Commercial Spaces
Lessor leases
Percentage of lease revenue		1.90%
Option to extend		true
Retail and Commercial Spaces \| Minimum
Lessor leases
Lease terms		5 years
Retail and Commercial Spaces \| Maximum
Lessor leases
Lease terms		15 years

This element represents the rental revenue earned during the period from total lease revenue.

No definition available.

Name:	udr_PercentageOfRevenueTotalLeaseRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	udr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Term of lessor's direct financing lease, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119202524&loc=SL77919359-209981

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LessorDirectFinancingLeaseTermOfContract1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

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

- Definition

Indicates (true false) whether lessor has option to extend operating lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119202524&loc=SL77919359-209981

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeaseExistenceOfOptionToExtend
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:booleanItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of lease payments to be received by lessor for operating lease.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119202524&loc=SL77919396-209981

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceived
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lease payments to be received by lessor in fifth fiscal year following latest fiscal year for operating lease. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest statement of financial position date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedFiveYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lease payments to be received by lessor in fourth year following latest fiscal year for operating lease. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on rolling approach, from latest statement of financial position date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedFourYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lease payments to be received by lessor in next fiscal year following latest fiscal year for operating lease. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on rolling approach, from latest statement of financial position date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedNextTwelveMonths
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lease payments to be received by lessor after fifth fiscal year following latest statement of financial position date for operating lease. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on rolling approach, from latest statement of financial position date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedThereafter
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lease payments to be received by lessor in third fiscal year following latest fiscal year for operating lease. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on rolling approach, from latest statement of financial position date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedThreeYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of lease payments to be received by lessor in second fiscal year following latest fiscal year for operating lease. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on rolling approach, from latest statement of financial position date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LessorOperatingLeasePaymentsToBeReceivedTwoYears
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Cash received for the sale of real estate that is not part of an investing activity during the current period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfRealEstate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of variable lease cost, excluded from lease liability, recognized when obligation for payment is incurred for finance and operating leases.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888426&loc=SL77918686-209980

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 53
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888399&loc=SL77918982-209971

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableLeaseCost
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_LandMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=udr_ApartmentHomesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_AssetsLeasedToOthersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
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