Segment Reporting Results of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 261,234			$ 244,012	$ 721,957	$ 599,685
Operating expenses/Cost of sales	114,164			107,207	305,722	252,616
Net operating income/Gross profit	147,070			136,805	416,235	347,069
Interest and other revenues, net	7,011			5,689	18,587	15,459
Home selling expenses	(3,290)			(2,643)	(9,391)	(7,240)
General and administrative	(18,267)			(16,575)	(56,188)	(46,910)
Transaction costs	(2,167)			(4,191)	(6,990)	(27,891)
Depreciation and amortization	(64,232)			(61,483)	(189,719)	(159,565)
Extinguishment of debt	0	$ (300)	$ (500)	0	(759)	0
Interest	(32,085)			(33,800)	(95,765)	(88,522)
Interest on mandatorily redeemable preferred OP units	(790)			(789)	(2,361)	(2,363)
Catastrophic weather related charges	(7,756)			0	(8,124)	0
Other income, net	3,345			0	5,340	0
Current tax benefit / (expense)	38			(283)	(133)	(567)
Deferred tax benefit	81			0	745	0
Income from affiliate transactions	0			500	0	500
Net income	28,958			23,230	71,477	29,970
Less: Preferred return to Series A-1 preferred OP units	1,112			1,257	3,482	3,793
Less: Amounts attributable to noncontrolling interests	1,776			879	4,179	460
Net income attributable to Sun Communities, Inc.	26,070			21,094	63,816	25,717
Less: Preferred stock distributions	1,955			2,197	6,233	6,748
Net income attributable to Sun Communities, Inc. common stockholders	24,115			18,897	57,583	18,969	$ 18,969
Real Property Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	215,280			200,770	592,864	482,002
Operating expenses/Cost of sales	82,295			78,922	220,902	176,176
Net operating income/Gross profit	132,985			121,848	371,962	305,826
Interest and other revenues, net	7,011			5,689	18,587	15,459
Home selling expenses	0			0	0	0
General and administrative	(15,677)			(14,309)	(49,082)	(40,300)
Transaction costs	(2,153)			(4,171)	(7,001)	(27,990)
Depreciation and amortization	(48,624)			(47,323)	(144,143)	(118,296)
Extinguishment of debt					(759)	0
Interest	(32,082)			(33,797)	(95,754)	(88,512)
Interest on mandatorily redeemable preferred OP units	(790)			(789)	(2,361)	(2,363)
Catastrophic weather related charges	(7,718)			0	(8,075)	0
Other income, net	3,345			0	5,341	0
Current tax benefit / (expense)	210			(242)	145	(445)
Deferred tax benefit	81			0	745	0
Income from affiliate transactions	0			500	0	500
Net income	36,588			27,406	89,605	43,879
Less: Preferred return to Series A-1 preferred OP units	1,112			1,257	3,482	3,793
Less: Amounts attributable to noncontrolling interests	2,174			1,133	5,163	1,392
Net income attributable to Sun Communities, Inc.	33,302			25,016	80,960	38,694
Less: Preferred stock distributions	1,955			2,197	6,233	6,748
Net income attributable to Sun Communities, Inc. common stockholders	31,347			22,819	74,727	31,946
Home Sales and Home Rentals Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenues	45,954			43,242	129,093	117,683
Operating expenses/Cost of sales	31,869			28,285	84,820	76,440
Net operating income/Gross profit	14,085			14,957	44,273	41,243
Interest and other revenues, net	0			0	0	0
Home selling expenses	(3,290)			(2,643)	(9,391)	(7,240)
General and administrative	(2,590)			(2,266)	(7,106)	(6,610)
Transaction costs	(14)			(20)	11	99
Depreciation and amortization	(15,608)			(14,160)	(45,576)	(41,269)
Extinguishment of debt					0	0
Interest	(3)			(3)	(11)	(10)
Interest on mandatorily redeemable preferred OP units	0			0	0	0
Catastrophic weather related charges	(38)			0	(49)	0
Other income, net	0			0	(1)	0
Current tax benefit / (expense)	(172)			(41)	(278)	(122)
Deferred tax benefit	0			0	0	0
Income from affiliate transactions	0			0	0	0
Net income	(7,630)			(4,176)	(18,128)	(13,909)
Less: Preferred return to Series A-1 preferred OP units	0			0	0	0
Less: Amounts attributable to noncontrolling interests	(398)			(254)	(984)	(932)
Net income attributable to Sun Communities, Inc.	(7,232)			(3,922)	(17,144)	(12,977)
Less: Preferred stock distributions	0			0	0	0
Net income attributable to Sun Communities, Inc. common stockholders	$ (7,232)			$ (3,922)	$ (17,144)	$ (12,977)