Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Real estate assets:
Development and capital improvements in progress	$ 166,048,000
Total assets	6,841,925,000	2,751,068,000
Liabilities:
Fair market value of interest rate swaps	20,015,000	21,423,000
Shareholders' equity/capital:
Accumulated other comprehensive income (losses)	108,000	(26,054,000)
Limited partners: 4,227,384 OP Units outstanding at December 31, 2013 and 1,731,672 OP Units outstanding at December 31, 2012 (1)	256,771,304	112,125,762
Limited Partner [Member]
Real estate assets:
Land	871,316,000	386,088,000
Buildings and improvements	6,366,701,000	3,158,301,000
Furniture, fixtures and equipment	199,573,000	97,270,000
Development and capital improvements in progress	166,048,000	52,414,000
Real estate investment property, at cost, total	7,603,638,000	3,694,073,000
Less accumulated depreciation	(1,124,207,000)	(1,019,624,000)
Real estate investment property, net, total	6,479,431,000	2,674,449,000
Undeveloped land	63,850,000	1,205,000
Corporate properties, net	7,523,000	8,058,000
Investments in real estate joint ventures	5,499,000	4,837,000
Real estate assets, net	6,556,303,000	2,688,549,000
Cash and cash equivalents	89,333,000	8,934,000
Restricted cash	44,361,000	809,000
Deferred financing costs, net	17,424,000	13,842,000
Other assets	91,637,000	29,038,000
Goodwill	4,106,000	4,106,000
Assets held for sale	38,761,000	0
Total assets	6,841,925,000	2,745,278,000
Liabilities:
Secured notes payable	1,790,935,000	1,190,848,000
Unsecured notes payable	1,681,783,000	483,000,000
Accounts payable	15,067,000	4,553,000
Fair market value of interest rate swaps	20,015,000	21,423,000
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	206,190,000	94,467,000
Security deposits	9,270,000	6,650,000
Due to general partner	19,000	617,000
Liabilities associated with assets held for sale	78,000	0
Total liabilities	3,723,357,000	1,801,558,000
Redeemable stock/units	5,050,000	4,713,000
Shareholders' equity/capital:
Accumulated other comprehensive income (losses)	174,000	(26,881,000)
Total liabilities and equity/capital	6,841,925,000	2,745,278,000
General partner: 74,830,726 OP Units outstanding at December 31, 2013 and 42,316,398 OP Units outstanding at December 31, 2012 (1)	2,946,598,000	927,734,000
Limited partners: 4,227,384 OP Units outstanding at December 31, 2013 and 1,731,672 OP Units outstanding at December 31, 2012 (1)	166,746,000	38,154,000
Total capital	3,113,518,000	939,007,000
Redeemable stock, shares/units issued and outstanding	83,139	72,786
Parent Company [Member]
Real estate assets:
Land	871,316,000	386,670,000
Buildings and improvements	6,366,701,000	3,170,413,000
Furniture, fixtures and equipment	199,573,000	98,044,000
Development and capital improvements in progress	166,048,000	52,455,000
Real estate investment property, at cost, total	7,603,638,000	3,707,582,000
Less accumulated depreciation	(1,124,207,000)	(1,027,618,000)
Real estate investment property, net, total	6,479,431,000	2,679,964,000
Undeveloped land	63,850,000	1,205,000
Corporate properties, net	7,523,000	8,065,000
Investments in real estate joint ventures	5,499,000	4,837,000
Real estate assets, net	6,556,303,000	2,694,071,000
Cash and cash equivalents	89,333,000	9,075,000
Restricted cash	44,361,000	808,000
Deferred financing costs, net	17,424,000	13,842,000
Other assets	91,637,000	29,166,000
Goodwill	4,106,000	4,106,000
Assets held for sale	38,761,000	0
Total assets	6,841,925,000	2,751,068,000
Liabilities:
Secured notes payable	1,790,935,000	1,190,848,000
Unsecured notes payable	1,681,783,000	483,000,000
Accounts payable	15,067,000	4,586,000
Fair market value of interest rate swaps	20,015,000	21,423,000
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	206,190,000	94,719,000
Security deposits	9,270,000	6,669,000
Liabilities associated with assets held for sale	78,000	0
Total liabilities	3,723,338,000	1,801,245,000
Redeemable stock/units	5,050,000	4,713,000
Shareholders' equity/capital:
Common stock, $0.01 par value per share, 100,000,000 shares authorized; 74,830,726 and 42,316,398 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively	747,000	422,000
Additional paid-in capital	3,599,549,000	1,542,999,000
Accumulated distributions in excess of net income	(653,593,000)	(603,315,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (losses)	108,000	(26,054,000)
Total MAA shareholders' equity	2,946,811,000	914,052,000
Noncontrolling interest	166,726,000	31,058,000
Total equity	3,113,537,000	945,110,000
Total liabilities and equity/capital	$ 6,841,925,000	$ 2,751,068,000
Redeemable stock, shares/units issued and outstanding	83,139	72,786