Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Twinbrook Metro Station Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)	Ashbrook Marketplace	Limited Partner	Limited Partner Twinbrook Metro Station	Dividend paid	Dividend declared	Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend paid	Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend declared	Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend paid	Total Saul Centers, Inc.	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Twinbrook Metro Station Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Dividend paid	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Dividend declared	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend paid	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend declared	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend paid	Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Partnership Units in Escrow	Partnership Units in Escrow Twinbrook Metro Station Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)	Additional Paid-in Capital	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings Dividend paid	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings Dividend declared	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend paid	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend declared	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend paid	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Noncontrolling Interests	Noncontrolling Interests Twinbrook Metro Station Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)	Noncontrolling Interests Ashbrook Marketplace	Noncontrolling Interests Limited Partner	Noncontrolling Interests Limited Partner Twinbrook Metro Station	Noncontrolling Interests Dividend paid	Noncontrolling Interests Dividend declared	Noncontrolling Interests Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend paid
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 443,356										$ 374,981							$ 185,000	$ 232	$ 0		$ 410,926	$ (221,177)						$ 0	$ 68,375
Issuance of common stock:
Shares issued pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan	7,735										7,735								3			7,732
Shares issued due to exercise of employee stock options and issuance of directors' deferred stock	1,967										1,967											1,967
Issuance of partnership units	1,677																													1,677
Net income	50,316										40,382												40,382							9,934
Change in unrealized gain on cash flow hedge	0
Preferred stock distributions:
Preferred stock distributions							$ (1,650)	$ (3,446)	$ (1,148)	$ (4,950)				$ (1,650)	$ (3,446)	$ (1,148)	$ (4,950)								$ (1,650)	$ (3,446)	$ (1,148)	$ (4,950)
Common stock distributions						$ (49,679)							$ (37,108)											$ (37,108)											$ (12,571)
Distributions payable common stock and distributions payable partnership units							(16,645)							(12,438)											(12,438)											$ (4,207)
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2020	427,533										364,325							185,000	235	0		420,625	(241,535)						0	63,208
Issuance of common stock:
Shares issued pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan	11,500			$ 2,398							11,500								3			11,497											$ 2,398
Shares issued due to exercise of employee stock options and issuance of directors' deferred stock	4,487										4,487											4,487
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Acquisitions		$ 79,300	$ 4,320		$ 21,500							$ 79,300									$ 79,300											$ 4,320		$ 21,500
708,036 restricted units released from escrow pursuant to the Twinbrook Contribution Agreement		$ 0										$ (39,650)									$ (39,650)										$ 39,650
Net income	61,649										48,389												48,389							13,260
Change in unrealized gain on cash flow hedge	0
Preferred stock distributions:
Preferred stock distributions							(1,650)	(3,445)	(1,149)	(4,950)				(1,650)	(3,445)	(1,149)	(4,950)								(1,650)	(3,445)	(1,149)	(4,950)
Common stock distributions						(52,139)							(38,525)											(38,525)											(13,614)
Distributions payable common stock and distributions payable partnership units							(18,867)							(13,583)											(13,583)											(5,284)
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2021	530,487										405,049							185,000	238	39,650		436,609	(256,448)						0	125,438
Issuance of common stock:
Shares issued pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan	6,979			$ 1,322							6,979								2			6,977											$ 1,322
Shares issued due to exercise of employee stock options and issuance of directors' deferred stock	2,715										2,715											2,715
Net income	65,392										50,194												50,194							15,198
Change in unrealized gain on cash flow hedge	3,962										2,852																		2,852	1,110
Preferred stock distributions:
Preferred stock distributions							(1,650)	$ (3,445)	$ (1,149)	$ (4,950)				(1,650)	$ (3,445)	$ (1,149)	$ (4,950)								(1,650)	$ (3,445)	$ (1,149)	$ (4,950)									$ 0
Common stock distributions						$ (58,204)							$ (41,940)											$ (41,940)											$ (16,264)
Distributions payable common stock and distributions payable partnership units							$ (19,657)							$ (14,171)											$ (14,171)											$ (5,486)
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2022	$ 521,802										$ 400,484							$ 185,000	$ 240	$ 39,650		$ 446,301	$ (273,559)						$ 2,852	$ 121,318