Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013
Parent Company [Member]
Operating revenues:
Rental revenues	$ 222,610	$ 121,128	$ 443,598	$ 238,833
Other property revenues	21,883	10,531	44,285	20,569
Total property revenues	244,493	131,659	487,883	259,402
Management fee income	61	142	158	319
Total operating revenues	244,554	131,801	488,041	259,721
Property operating expenses:
Personnel	25,183	14,421	50,092	28,402
Building repairs and maintenance	7,184	3,874	13,583	7,003
Real estate taxes and insurance	30,686	15,958	61,817	31,446
Utilities	13,182	6,829	26,660	13,394
Landscaping	5,981	2,835	11,389	5,701
Other operating	15,406	8,904	31,444	17,396
Depreciation and amortization	69,631	32,222	159,644	64,417
Total property operating expenses	167,253	85,043	354,629	167,759
Acquisition expenses	947	489	958	499
Property management expenses	9,579	5,223	16,590	10,331
General and administrative expenses	5,212	3,389	9,554	6,628
Merger related expenses	795	5,737	2,871	5,737
Integration related expenses	3,151	0	6,993	0
Income from continuing operations before non-operating items	57,617	31,920	96,446	68,767
Interest and other non-property income	921	23	1,081	70
Interest expense	(30,163)	(15,189)	(60,839)	(30,734)
Loss on debt extinguishment/modification	0	0	0	(169)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	(1,174)	(803)	(2,485)	(1,607)
Net casualty (loss) gain and other settlement proceeds	(295)	439	(305)	455
Income from continuing operations before income tax expense	26,906	16,390	33,898	36,782
Income Tax Expense	(523)	(223)	(793)	(446)
Income from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments	26,383	16,167	33,105	36,336
Gain from real estate joint ventures	2,919	47	2,895	101
Income from Continuing Operations, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	29,302	16,214	36,000	36,437
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations before gain on sale	449	1,697	865	3,479
Net casualty loss on insurance and other settlement proceeds on discontinued operations	(1)	(4)	(3)	(4)
Gain on sale of discontinued operations	0	43,121	5,481	43,121
Income before Gain or Loss on Sale of Properties, and Extraordinary Items	29,750	61,028	42,343	83,033
Gain on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment	3,658	0	6,222	0
(Loss) Gain on Disposition of Other Assets	(22)	0	535	0
Consolidated net income	33,386	61,028	49,100	83,033
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	1,773	1,939	2,621	2,764
Net income available for MAA common shareholders	31,613	59,089	46,479	80,269
Earnings per common share - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders	$ 0.42	$ 0.37	$ 0.54	$ 0.82
Discontinued property operations	$ 0.00	$ 1.01	$ 0.08	$ 1.07
Net income available for common shareholders	$ 0.42	$ 1.38	$ 0.62	$ 1.89
Earnings per share - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders	$ 0.42	$ 0.36	$ 0.54	$ 0.82
Discontinued property operations	$ 0.00	$ 1.01	$ 0.08	$ 1.05
Net income available for common shareholders	$ 0.42	$ 1.37	$ 0.62	$ 1.87
Dividends declared per common share	$ 0.7300	$ 0.6950	$ 1.4600	$ 1.3900
Distribution Made to Limited Partner, Distributions Declared, Per Unit			$ 1.4600	$ 1.3900
Limited Partner [Member]
Operating revenues:
Rental revenues	222,610	121,128	443,598	238,833
Other property revenues	21,883	10,531	44,285	20,569
Total property revenues	244,493	131,659	487,883	259,402
Management fee income	61	142	158	319
Total operating revenues	244,554	131,801	488,041	259,721
Property operating expenses:
Personnel	25,183	14,421	50,092	28,402
Building repairs and maintenance	7,184	3,874	13,583	7,003
Real estate taxes and insurance	30,686	15,958	61,817	31,446
Utilities	13,182	6,829	26,660	13,394
Landscaping	5,981	2,835	11,389	5,701
Other operating	15,406	8,904	31,444	17,396
Depreciation and amortization	69,631	32,222	159,644	64,417
Total property operating expenses	167,253	85,043	354,629	167,759
Acquisition expenses	947	489	958	499
Property management expenses	9,579	5,223	16,590	10,331
General and administrative expenses	5,212	3,389	9,554	6,628
Merger related expenses	795	5,737	2,871	5,737
Integration related expenses	3,151	0	6,993	0
Income from continuing operations before non-operating items	57,617	31,920	96,446	68,767
Interest and other non-property income	921	23	1,081	70
Interest expense	(30,163)	(15,189)	(60,839)	(30,734)
Loss on debt extinguishment/modification	0	0	0	(169)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	(1,174)	(803)	(2,485)	(1,607)
Net casualty (loss) gain and other settlement proceeds	(295)	439	(305)	455
Income from continuing operations before income tax expense	26,906	16,390	33,898	36,782
Income Tax Expense	(523)	(223)	(793)	(446)
Income from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments	26,383	16,167	33,105	36,336
Gain from real estate joint ventures	2,919	47	2,895	101
Income from Continuing Operations, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	29,302	16,214	36,000	36,437
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations before gain on sale	449	1,511	865	3,081
Net casualty loss on insurance and other settlement proceeds on discontinued operations	(1)	(4)	(3)	(4)
Gain on sale of discontinued operations	0	31,779	5,481	31,779
Income before Gain or Loss on Sale of Properties, and Extraordinary Items	29,750	49,500	42,343	71,293
Gain on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment	3,658	0	6,222	0
(Loss) Gain on Disposition of Other Assets	(22)	0	535	0
Consolidated net income	33,386	49,500	49,100	71,293
Net Income Available to Common Unitholders, Basic	$ 33,386	$ 49,500	$ 49,100	$ 71,293
Earnings per common share - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders	$ 0.42	$ 0.36	$ 0.54	$ 0.82
Discontinued property operations	$ 0.00	$ 0.75	$ 0.08	$ 0.79
Net income available for common shareholders	$ 0.42	$ 1.11	$ 0.62	$ 1.61
Earnings per share - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders	$ 0.42	$ 0.36	$ 0.54	$ 0.82
Discontinued property operations	$ 0.00	$ 0.75	$ 0.08	$ 0.79
Net income available for common shareholders	$ 0.42	$ 1.11	$ 0.62	$ 1.61
Distribution Made to Limited Partner, Distributions Declared, Per Unit	$ 0.7300	$ 0.6950	$ 1.4600	$ 1.3900