Organization and Basis of Presentation - Additional Information (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Nov. 23, 1993	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Initial public offering of common stock, par value per share	$ 0.01	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Initial public offering of common stock, price per share	$ 25.00
Description of nine stock splits		Reflecting nine stock splits between September 30, 1994 and February 17, 2004, the Company’s initial offering price adjusts to $0.93 per share.
Accounting Standards Update 2014-01
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Impact of applying new guidance, reduction in the balance of retained earnings		$ 1,300,000
Impact of applying new guidance, affordable housing tax credits and other tax benefits projected to be recognized		4,000,000
Impact of applying new guidance, amortization recognized as a component of income tax expense		2,800,000
Accounting Standards Update 2014-01 | Other Liability
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Commitment of additional anticipated equity contributions relating to current investments		$ 7,300,000
New York Community Bank
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of branches		242
New York Community Bank | Directly Operated Banks
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of branches		4
New York Community Bank | Seven Divisional Banks
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of branches		238
New York Commercial Bank
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of branches		30
New York Commercial Bank | Atlantic Bank
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of branches		18
Adjusted for Nine Stock Split
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Initial public offering of common stock, price per share		$ 0.93