Revenues and NOI for Reportable Segment (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011
Revenues
Total property revenues	$ 126,901		$ 110,056	$ 364,056		$ 315,984
Management fee income	209		265	687		751
Total operating revenues	127,110		110,321	364,743		316,735
Net Operating Income	74,531		64,743	217,441		189,221
Discontinued operations NOI included above	(462)		(2,669)	(3,956)		(8,264)
Depreciation and amortization	(31,984)		(28,052)	(92,687)		(81,103)
Acquisition credit (expense)	(1,343)		(592)	(1,574)		(2,331)
Property management expense	(5,460)		(4,904)	(16,484)		(15,242)
General and administrative expense	(3,527)		(3,996)	(10,436)		(14,045)
Interest and other non-property income	89		140	343		599
Interest expense	(14,698)		(15,183)	(42,978)		(42,681)
Gain on debt extinguishment	0		(63)	5		(111)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	(971)		(724)	(2,611)		(2,146)
Net casualty loss and other settlement proceeds	(22)		(286)	(24)		(692)
Loss on sale of non-depreciable assets	48		147	45		163
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	(72)		(107)	(170)		(530)
Discontinued operations	(15,740)		(5,732)	(39,017)		(7,697)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,212)	[1]	(660)	(3,702)	[1]	(1,223)
Net income attributable to MAA	30,866		13,791	82,916		30,063
Large Market Same Store
Revenues
Total property revenues	57,211		54,056	168,351		159,341
Net Operating Income	33,058		30,530	97,904		91,208
Secondary Market Same Store
Revenues
Total property revenues	48,427		47,305	143,882		139,672
Net Operating Income	27,952		26,644	83,959		80,524
Non-Same Store and Other
Revenues
Total property revenues	21,263		8,695	51,823		16,971
Net Operating Income	$ 13,521		$ 7,569	$ 35,578		$ 17,489

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