Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011
Operating revenues:
Rental revenues	$ 109,617	$ 95,742
Other property revenues	9,745	8,980
Total property revenues	119,362	104,722
Management fee income	269	223
Total operating revenues	119,631	104,945
Property operating expenses:
Personnel	14,500	12,821
Building repairs and maintenance	3,928	3,255
Real estate taxes and insurance	13,886	12,191
Utilities	6,344	6,007
Landscaping	2,905	2,635
Other operating	8,279	7,420
Depreciation and amortization	30,643	27,216
Total property operating expenses	80,485	71,545
Acquisition (credit) expenses	(634)	219
Property management expenses	5,454	5,144
General and administrative expenses	3,447	4,610
Income from continuing operations before non-operating items	30,879	23,427
Interest and other non-property income	108	235
Interest expense	(14,350)	(13,914)
Gain on debt extinguishment	20	0
Amortization of deferred financing costs	(771)	(715)
Asset impairment on discontinued operations	0	0
Net casualty loss and other settlement proceeds	(4)	(141)
Loss on sale of non-depreciable assets	0	(6)
Income from continuing operations before loss from real estate joint ventures	15,882	8,886
Loss from real estate joint ventures	(31)	(245)
Income from continuing operations	15,851	8,641
Discontinued operations:
(Loss) income from discontinued operations before gain on sale	(158)	521
Discontinued Operation, Asset Impairment	(71)	0
Net casualty loss on insurance and other settlement proceeds on discontinued operations	(54)	(7)
Gain on sale of discontinued operations	9,500	0
Consolidated net income	25,068	9,155
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	1,178	311
Net income attributable to MAA	23,890	8,844
Net income available for common shareholders	$ 23,890	$ 8,844
Earnings per common share - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders	$ 0.37	$ 0.23
Discontinued property operations	$ 0.23	$ 0.02
Net income available for common shareholders	$ 0.60	$ 0.25
Earnings per share - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders	$ 0.37	$ 0.23
Discontinued property operations	$ 0.23	$ 0.01
Net income available for common shareholders	$ 0.60	$ 0.24
Dividends declared per common share	$ 0.6600	$ 0.6275