Selected Quarterly Financial Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Disclosure Quarterly Financial Information [Abstract]
Total operating revenues	$ 131,394	$ 127,452	$ 122,033	$ 116,286	$ 113,040	$ 110,696	$ 105,398	$ 101,672	$ 497,165	$ 430,806	$ 380,138
Income from continuing operations before non-operating items	37,285	31,964	31,064	29,963	26,231	24,794	21,603	22,589	130,276	95,217	85,265
Interest expense	(15,773)	(14,698)	(14,170)	(14,110)	(14,734)	(15,183)	(13,845)	(13,653)	(58,751)	(57,415)	(54,632)	[1]
Loss from real estate joint ventures	(53)	(72)	(67)	(31)	(63)	(107)	(178)	(245)	(223)	(593)	(1,149)	[1]
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations before gain (loss) on sale	77	(451)	467	484	847	806	984	988	577	3,625	2,051
Gain (loss) on sale of discontinued operations	3,161	16,092	12,953	9,429	7,872	4,927	0	0	41,635	12,799	(2)
Consolidated net income	23,207	32,078	29,472	25,068	19,945	14,451	7,680	9,155	109,825	51,231	30,875
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	900	1,212	1,312	1,178	1,187	660	252	311	4,602	2,410	1,114	[1]
Net income attributable to Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc.	22,307	30,866	28,160	23,890	18,758	13,791	7,428	8,844	105,223	48,821	29,761	[1]
Income from continuing operations, adjusted	$ 22,307	$ 30,866	$ 28,160	$ 23,890	$ 18,758	$ 13,791	$ 7,428	$ 8,844	$ 105,223	$ 48,821	$ 18,063
Per share:
Net income available per common share - basic (dollars per share)	$ 0.53	$ 0.74	$ 0.69	$ 0.60	$ 0.49	$ 0.37	$ 0.20	$ 0.25	$ 2.56	$ 1.32	$ 0.57
Net income available per common share - diluted (dollars per share)	$ 0.53	$ 0.74	$ 0.69	$ 0.60	$ 0.49	$ 0.37	$ 0.20	$ 0.24	$ 2.56	$ 1.31	$ 0.56
Dividend paid (dollars per share)	$ 0.6600	$ 0.6600	$ 0.6600	$ 0.6600	$ 0.6275	$ 0.6275	$ 0.6275	$ 0.6275	$ 2.675	$ 2.5425	$ 2.4725

[1] The 2010 column shows the segment break down based on the 2011 same store portfolios. A comparison using the 2012 same store portfolio would not be comparative due to the nature of the classifications.