Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Operating revenues:
Rental revenues	$ 125,522	$ 113,015	$ 366,191	$ 323,223
Other property revenues	10,772	9,966	31,596	29,084
Total property revenues	136,294	122,981	397,787	352,307
Management fee income	146	209	465	687
Total operating revenues	136,440	123,190	398,252	352,994
Property operating expenses:
Personnel	15,085	14,156	43,791	40,966
Building repairs and maintenance	4,595	4,292	11,661	11,543
Real estate taxes and insurance	16,811	14,167	48,395	41,085
Utilities	7,580	7,381	21,108	19,678
Landscaping	2,922	2,640	8,677	7,864
Other operating	9,160	8,653	26,758	24,928
Depreciation and amortization	33,000	30,979	97,883	89,701
Total property operating expenses	89,153	82,268	258,273	235,765
Acquisition (credit) expenses	0	1,343	499	1,574
Property management expenses	5,193	5,460	15,970	16,484
General and administrative expenses	3,976	3,527	10,604	10,436
Merger Related Expenses	5,561	0	11,298	0
Business Combination, Integration Related Costs	35	0	35	0
Income from continuing operations before non-operating items	32,522	30,592	101,573	88,735
Interest and other non-property income	16	89	86	343
Interest expense	(14,941)	(14,530)	(45,715)	(42,428)
Gain on debt extinguishment	(218)	0	(387)	5
Amortization of deferred financing costs	(820)	(971)	(2,427)	(2,611)
Net casualty loss and other settlement proceeds	0	(22)	455	(24)
Income from continuing operations before loss from real estate joint ventures	16,559	15,206	53,585	44,065
Loss from real estate joint ventures	60	(72)	161	(170)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	16,619	15,134	53,746	43,895
Discontinued operations:
(Loss) income from discontinued operations before gain on sale	650	753	3,439	4,206
Net casualty loss on insurance and other settlement proceeds on discontinued operations	(1)	99	(5)	43
Gain on sale of discontinued operations	28,788	16,092	71,909	38,474
Consolidated net income	46,056	32,078	129,089	86,618
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	1,772	1,212	4,536	3,702
Net income attributable to MAA	44,284	30,866	124,553	82,916
Net income available for common shareholders	44,284	30,866	124,553	82,916
Earnings per common share - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders	$ 0.38	$ 0.35	$ 1.22	$ 1.03
Discontinued property operations	$ 0.66	$ 0.39	$ 1.70	$ 1.01
Net income available for common shareholders	$ 1.04	$ 0.74	$ 2.92	$ 2.04
Earnings per share - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders	$ 0.38	$ 0.35	$ 1.21	$ 1.03
Discontinued property operations	$ 0.66	$ 0.39	$ 1.70	$ 1.00
Net income available for common shareholders	$ 1.04	$ 0.74	$ 2.91	$ 2.03
Dividends declared per common share	$ 0.6950	$ 0.6600	$ 2.0850	$ 1.98
Loss on sale of non-depreciable assets	$ 0	$ 48	$ 0	$ 45