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Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName HOMESTEAD FUNDS INC
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Jan. 01, 2020
Small-Company Stock Fund  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading Small-Company Stock Fund Fund Summaries   |  Inception: March 4, 1998
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Small-Company Stock Fund seeks long-term growth of capital for the long-term investor.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 5% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 5.00%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Expense Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund to the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Fund generally invests in stocks of companies selling at prices below what RE Advisers believes to be their fundamental value.

To determine whether a stock is undervalued, RE Advisers considers, among other factors, potential earning power, financial ratios and any competitive advantages a company may have. Stock selection is made with the belief that businesses have an underlying value that is not always reflected by share price, especially over the short term. RE Advisers seeks to select stocks that it believes may benefit over time from a more reasonable market assessment of fundamental value.

Stock selection for the Small-Company Stock Fund may also include an analysis of new market opportunities for a company, which could indicate earnings growth potential over the long term.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowing for investment purposes) in common stocks of companies whose market capitalization, at the time of purchase, is within the range of the market capitalization of companies represented in the Russell 2000 Index. However, RE Advisers will not necessarily sell a security whose market capitalization, after the initial purchase, is no longer within the range of the market capitalization of the companies represented in the Russell 2000 Index. On March 31, 2019, the weighted average market capitalization for companies held in the Fund's portfolio was $3.3 billion, and for companies in the Russell 2000 Index, the weighted average market capitalization was $2.4 billion. As of March 31, 2019, the market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000 index ranged from $8.8 million to $8.4 billion.

Up to 20% of the Fund's assets may be invested in other types of securities including: short-term debt securities; money market securities; other investment companies, including open-end funds, closed-end funds and exchange-traded funds; U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers; and investment-grade debt securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stocks.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with all investments, you may lose money by investing in the Fund. Other principal risks of investing in the Fund are:

Market Risk  The risk that markets will perform poorly or that the returns from the securities in which the Fund invests will underperform returns from the general securities markets or other types of investments. Markets may, in response to governmental actions or intervention, political, economic or market developments, or other external factors, experience periods of high volatility and reduced liquidity. During those periods, the Fund may experience high levels of shareholder redemptions, and may have to sell securities at times when the Fund would otherwise not do so, and potentially at unfavorable prices. Certain securities may be difficult to value during such periods. These risks may be heightened for fixed income securities in low interest rate environments.

Issuer Risk  The risk that the value of a security may decline because of adverse events or circumstances that directly relate to the issuer.

Equity Securities Risk  Equity securities generally have greater price volatility than fixed-income securities. The market price of equity securities owned by the Fund may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Equity securities may decline in value due to factors affecting the issuer, equity securities markets generally, particular industries represented in those markets or the issuer itself.

Investments in Small- and Mid-Size Companies  Securities of small and medium-sized companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of large companies. Compared to large companies, small and medium-sized companies may face greater business risks because they lack the management depth or experience, financial resources, product diversification or competitive strengths of larger companies, and they may be more adversely affected by poor economic conditions. There may be less publicly available information about smaller companies than larger companies. In addition, these companies may have been recently organized and may have little or no track record of success.

Value Style Risk  The risk that returns on stocks within the value style in which the Fund invests will trail returns of stocks representing other styles or the market overall over any period of time and may shift in and out of favor with investors generally, sometimes rapidly, depending on changes in market, economic, and other factors. Investments in value securities may be subject to risks that (1) the issuer's potential business prospects will not be realized; (2) their potential values will never be recognized by the market; and (3) their value was appropriately priced when acquired and they do not perform as anticipated.

Focused Investment Risk  A fund that invests a substantial portion of its assets in a particular market, industry, sector, group of industries or sectors, country, region, group of countries or asset class is subject to greater risk than a fund that invests in a more diverse investment portfolio. In addition, the value of such a fund is more susceptible to any single economic, market, political or regulatory or other occurrence affecting, for example, the particular markets, industries, regions, sectors or asset classes in which the fund is invested. This is because, for example, issuers in a particular market, industry, region, sector or asset class may react similarly to specific economic, market, regulatory, political or other developments. The particular markets, industries, regions, sectors or asset classes in which the Fund may focus its investments may change over time and the Fund may alter its focus at inopportune times. For example, the Fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies in the information technology sector. Companies in the information technology sector can be adversely affected by, among other things, intense competition, earnings disappointments, and rapid obsolescence of products and services due to technological innovations or changing consumer preferences.

Foreign Risk  Foreign securities are subject to political, regulatory, and economic risks not present in domestic investments and may exhibit more extreme changes in value than securities of U.S. companies. The securities markets of many foreign countries are relatively small, with a limited number of companies representing a small number of industries. In addition, foreign companies often are not subject to the same degree of regulation as U.S. companies. Reporting, legal, accounting and auditing standards of foreign countries differ, in some cases significantly, from U.S. standards. Nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, political changes or diplomatic developments could adversely affect the Fund's investments in a foreign country. In the event of nationalization, expropriation or other confiscation, the Fund could lose its entire investment. Investments in emerging market countries are likely to involve significant risks. These countries are generally more likely to experience political and economic instability.

Investments in Other Investment Companies Risk  The risk that an investment company or other pooled investment vehicle in which the Fund invests will not achieve its investment objective or execute its investment strategies effectively or that significant purchase or redemption activity by shareholders of such an investment company might negatively affect the value of the investment company's shares. There will be some duplication of expenses because the Fund also must pay its pro-rata share of that investment company's fees and expenses.

Money Market Securities Risk  The value of a money market instrument typically will decline during periods of rising interest rates, and can also decline in response to changes in the financial condition of the issuer, borrower, counterparty, or underlying collateral assets, or changes in market, economic, industry, political, and regulatory conditions affecting a particular type of security or issuer or fixed income securities generally. Money market funds are not designed to offer capital appreciation. Certain money market funds may impose a fee upon the sale of shares or may temporarily suspend the ability of investors to redeem shares if such fund's liquidity falls below required minimums, which may adversely affect the Fund's returns or liquidity.

Convertible Securities Risk  Convertible securities may be subordinate to other debt securities issued by the same issuer. Issuers of convertible securities are often not as strong financially as issuers with higher credit ratings. Convertible securities typically provide yields lower than comparable non-convertible securities. Their values may be more volatile than those of non-convertible securities, reflecting changes in the values of the securities into which they are convertible.

Manager Risk  The risk that the manager's decisions, including security selection, will cause the Fund to underperform relative to the Fund's peers. There can be no assurance that the manager's investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results. The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective is dependent upon the manager's ability to identify profitable investment opportunities for the Fund. The past experience of the portfolio manager, including with other strategies and funds, does not guarantee future results for the Fund.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney As with all investments, you may lose money by investing in the Fund.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows the changes in the Fund's performance from year to year. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1, 5 and 10 years compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting homesteadfunds.com or by calling 800.258.3030.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows the changes in the Fund's performance from year to year. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1, 5 and 10 years compared with those of a broad measure of market performance.
Performance Availability Phone [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone 800.258.3030
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress homesteadfunds.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Calendar Year Total Returns  Total Returns (%)
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

During the periods shown in the chart, the Fund's best and worst quarters were as follows:

Best Quarter:
Q2 2009 23.62%
Worst Quarter:
Q4 2018 -24.47%

Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns periods ended 12/31/18
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as IRAs or employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as IRAs or employer-sponsored retirement plans.

Small-Company Stock Fund | Small-Company Stock Fund  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Sales Charge on Purchases rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Deferred Sales Charge on Redemptions rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther none
Sales Charge on Reinvested Dividends rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther none
Redemption Fee rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption none
Exchange Fee rr_ExchangeFeeOverRedemption none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.77%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.13%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.90%
1 YR rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 92
3 YR rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 287
5 YR rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 498
10 YR rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,108
2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 45.10%
2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 33.94%
2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 0.58%
2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 19.63%
2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 36.58%
2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 7.97%
2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 (5.18%)
2016 rr_AnnualReturn2016 18.85%
2017 rr_AnnualReturn2017 11.99%
2018 rr_AnnualReturn2018 (26.18%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 23.62%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2018
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (24.47%)
Small-Company Stock Fund | Returns before taxes | Small-Company Stock Fund  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 YR rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (26.18%)
5 YR rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.12%
10 YR rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 12.38%
Small-Company Stock Fund | Returns after taxes on distributions | Small-Company Stock Fund  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 YR rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (30.03%)
5 YR rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (1.62%)
10 YR rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 11.31%
Small-Company Stock Fund | Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares | Small-Company Stock Fund  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 YR rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (12.67%)
5 YR rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.14%
10 YR rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 10.35%
Small-Company Stock Fund | Russell 2000 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 YR rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (11.01%)
5 YR rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 4.41%
10 YR rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 11.97%