Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Limited Partner	Twinbrook Metro Station Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)	Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Total Saul Centers, Inc.	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Twinbrook Metro Station Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Preferred stock	Common stock	Additional paid-in capital	Partnership units in escrow	Partnership units in escrow Twinbrook Metro Station Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)	Distributions in excess of accumulated earnings	Distributions in excess of accumulated earnings Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Distributions in excess of accumulated earnings Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Accumulated other comprehensive income	Noncontrolling interests	Noncontrolling interests Limited Partner	Noncontrolling interests Twinbrook Metro Station Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021										74,000
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021											23,840,471
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2021	$ 530,487					$ 405,049				$ 185,000	$ 238	$ 436,609	$ 39,650		$ (256,448)			$ 0	$ 125,438
Issuance of common stock:
Pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan (in shares)	143,957	26,659
Pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan	$ 6,979	$ 1,322				6,979					$ 2	6,977								$ 1,322
Due to director grants (in shares)											2,200
Due to director grants	$ 105					105						105
Due to exercise of stock options (in shares)	26,875										26,873
Due to exercise of stock options	$ 2,492					2,492						2,492
Due to restricted share awards (in shares)											2,508
Due to restricted share awards	118					118						118
Net income	65,392					50,194									50,194				15,198
Change in unrealized gain (loss) on cash flow hedge	3,962					2,852												2,852	1,110
Preferred stock distributions:
Preferred stock distributions				$ (3,445)	$ (4,950)			$ (3,445)	$ (4,950)							$ (3,445)	$ (4,950)
Distribution payable preferred stocks:	(58,204)					(41,940)									(41,940)				(16,264)
Distribution payable preferred stocks:
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Payable				1,149	1,650			1,149	1,650							1,149	1,650
Dividends, Common Stock, Payable	19,657					14,171									14,171				5,486
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2022	521,802					400,484				$ 185,000	$ 240	446,301	39,650		(273,559)			2,852	121,318
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2022											24,016,009
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2022										74,000
Issuance of common stock:
Pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan (in shares)		44,500									61,359
Pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan	2,238	$ 1,505				2,238					$ 1	2,237								1,505
Due to director grants (in shares)											2,400
Due to director grants	$ 81					81						81
Due to exercise of stock options (in shares)	0
Due to exercise of stock options	$ 1,222					1,222						1,222
Due to directors' deferred awards (in shares)											3,119
Due to restricted share awards	118					118						118
Restricted units released pursuant to first escrow release			$ 0				$ (39,650)							$ (39,650)							$ 39,650
Net income	69,026					52,689									52,689				16,337
Change in unrealized gain (loss) on cash flow hedge	(1,220)					(838)												(838)	(382)
Preferred stock distributions:
Preferred stock distributions				(3,445)	(4,950)			(3,445)	(4,950)							(3,445)	(4,950)
Distribution payable preferred stocks:	(59,011)					(42,553)									(42,553)				(16,458)
Distribution payable preferred stocks:
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Payable				1,149	$ 1,650			1,149	1,650							1,149	1,650
Dividends, Common Stock, Payable	20,138					14,208									14,208				5,930
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2023	$ 504,429					348,389				$ 185,000	$ 241	449,959	0		(288,825)			2,014	156,040
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2023	24,082,887										24,082,887
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2023					44,000					74,000
Issuance of common stock:
Pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan (in shares)		431,495									65,228
Pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan	$ 2,406	$ 16,467				2,406					$ 1	2,405								$ 16,467
Due to exercise of stock options (in shares)	10,625										10,625
Due to exercise of stock options	$ 1,110					1,110						1,110
Due to directors' deferred awards (in shares)											2,986
Due to directors’ deferred awards	116					116						116
Due to restricted share awards (in shares)											140,850
Due to restricted share awards	497					497					$ 1	496
Net income	67,703					50,649									50,649				17,054
Change in unrealized gain (loss) on cash flow hedge	1,351					952												952	399
Preferred stock distributions:
Preferred stock distributions				(3,445)	$ (4,950)			(3,445)	(4,950)							(3,445)	(4,950)
Distribution payable preferred stocks:	(61,092)					(42,686)									(42,686)				(18,406)
Distribution payable preferred stocks:
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Payable				$ 1,149	$ 1,650			$ 1,149	$ 1,650							$ 1,149	$ 1,650
Dividends, Common Stock, Payable	20,669					14,485									14,485				6,184
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2024	$ 501,124					$ 335,754				$ 185,000	$ 243	$ 454,086	$ 0		$ (306,541)			$ 2,966	$ 165,370
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2024	24,302,576										24,302,576
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2024				30,000	44,000					74,000