MAA Equity (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014 Common Stock [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Accumulated Distributions in Excess of Net Income [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Stockholders' Equity, Total [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Prior Period Rollforward [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Prior Period Rollforward [Member] Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Prior Period Rollforward [Member] Accumulated Distributions in Excess of Net Income [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Prior Period Rollforward [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Prior Period Rollforward [Member] Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Prior Period Rollforward [Member] Stockholders' Equity, Total [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	$ 747,000	$ 3,599,549,000	$ (653,593,000)	$ 108,000	$ 166,726,000	$ 3,113,537,000	$ 422,000	$ 1,542,999,000	$ (603,315,000)	$ (26,054,000)	$ 31,058,000	$ 945,110,000
Net income attributable to MAA			46,479,000						80,269,000
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest					2,621,000						2,764,000
Net Income Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest						49,100,000						83,033,000
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, Net of Tax				(1,503,000)	(87,000)	(1,590,000)				19,718,000	681,000	20,399,000
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues	2,000	573,000				575,000	4,000	24,965,000				24,969,000
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	0	(336,000)				(336,000)	0	(673,000)				(673,000)
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Stock Options Exercised	2,000	9,542,000				9,544,000
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Conversion of Units	0	799,000			(799,000)	0	1,000	442,000			(443,000)	0
Stock Issued in Exchange for Redeemable Stock		998,000				998,000
Effect On Retained Earnings Accumulated Deficit Due To Fair Value Option And Measurement			(848,000)			(848,000)			(431,000)			(431,000)
Noncontrolling Interest, Period Increase (Decrease)		51,000			(51,000)	0		186,000			(186,000)	0
Amortization Unearned Compensation		2,045,000				2,045,000		1,171,000				1,171,000
Dividends, Common Stock			(109,680,000)		0	(109,680,000)			(59,407,000)		0	(59,407,000)
Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Distributions to Noncontrolling Interest Holders					(6,143,000)	(6,143,000)					(2,374,000)	(2,374,000)
Ending Balance	$ 751,000	$ 3,613,221,000	$ (717,642,000)	$ (1,395,000)	$ 162,267,000	$ 3,057,202,000	$ 427,000	$ 1,569,090,000	$ (582,884,000)	$ (6,336,000)	$ 31,500,000	$ 1,011,797,000