Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Change in net unrealized gain/loss on securities available for sale, tax	$ 7,111	$ (38,189)	$ 31,718	$ (38,542)
Change in the non-credit portion of OTTI losses recognized in other comprehensive income, tax	0	0	(821)	(13)
Change in pension and post-retirement obligations, tax	$ (547)	$ (869)	$ (11,064)	(1,741)
Reclassification adjustment for sales of available-for-sale securities, tax				$ 770

Tax effect on the non-credit portion of other-than-temporary impairment.

No definition available.

Name:	nyb_TaxOnReclassificationAdjustmentForNoncreditPortionOfOtherThanTemporaryImpairment
Namespace Prefix:	nyb_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after reclassification adjustment, of tax (expense) benefit for (increase) decrease in accumulated other comprehensive income of defined benefit plan.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114867106&loc=d3e640-108580

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (i-k)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114867106&loc=SL7669646-108580

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 19
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108774443&loc=SL4569616-111683

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of tax expense (benefit) of reclassification adjustment from accumulated other comprehensive income for unrealized gain (loss) realized upon the sale of available-for-sale securities.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of tax expense (benefit) before reclassification adjustments of unrealized holding gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities.

+ References

+ Details

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