Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Parent Company [Member]
Operating revenues:
Rental revenues	$ 225,789	$ 124,612	$ 669,387	$ 363,445
Other property revenues	22,981	10,648	67,266	31,217
Total property revenues	248,770	135,260	736,653	394,662
Management fee income	11	146	169	465
Total operating revenues	248,781	135,406	736,822	395,127
Property operating expenses:
Personnel	26,355	14,930	76,447	43,332
Building repairs and maintenance	8,703	4,554	22,286	11,557
Real estate taxes and insurance	30,918	16,741	92,735	48,187
Utilities	14,874	7,506	41,534	20,900
Landscaping	4,002	2,894	15,391	8,595
Other operating	15,781	9,068	47,225	26,464
Depreciation and amortization	70,222	32,766	229,866	97,183
Total property operating expenses	170,855	88,459	525,484	256,218
Acquisition expense	13	0	971	499
Property management expenses	7,429	4,970	24,019	15,301
General and administrative expenses	6,511	3,976	16,065	10,604
Merger related expenses	331	5,561	3,202	11,298
Integration related expenses	147	35	7,140	35
Income from continuing operations before non-operating items	63,495	32,405	159,941	101,172
Interest and other non-property income	85	16	1,166	86
Interest expense	(28,251)	(14,923)	(89,090)	(45,657)
Loss on debt extinguishment/modification	(2,586)	(218)	(2,586)	(387)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	(1,000)	(820)	(3,485)	(2,427)
Net casualty (loss) gain after insurance and other settlement proceeds	(126)	0	(431)	455
Gain on sale of depreciable real estate assets excluded from discontinued operations	36,032	0	42,254	0
Gain on sale of non-depreciable real estate assets	0	0	535	0
Income before income tax expense	67,649	16,460	108,304	53,242
Income tax expense	(442)	(223)	(1,235)	(669)
Income from continuing operations before joint venture activity	67,207	16,237	107,069	52,573
Gain from real estate joint ventures	3,124	60	6,019	161
Income from continuing operations	70,331	16,297	113,088	52,734
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations before (loss) gain on sale	488	972	1,353	4,451
Net casualty gain (loss) after insurance and other settlement proceeds on discontinued operations	3	(1)	0	(5)
(Loss) gain on sale of discontinued operations	(103)	28,788	5,378	71,909
Consolidated net income	70,719	46,056	119,819	129,089
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	3,743	1,772	6,364	4,536
Net income available for MAA common shareholders	66,976	44,284	113,455	124,553
Earnings per common share - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders	$ 0.89	$ 0.37	$ 1.43	$ 1.19
Discontinued property operations	$ 0.00	$ 0.67	$ 0.08	$ 1.73
Net income available for common shareholders	$ 0.89	$ 1.04	$ 1.51	$ 2.92
Earnings per common share - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders	$ 0.89	$ 0.37	$ 1.43	$ 1.19
Discontinued property operations	$ 0.00	$ 0.67	$ 0.08	$ 1.72
Net income available for common shareholders	$ 0.89	$ 1.04	$ 1.51	$ 2.91
Dividends declared per common share	$ 0.7300	$ 0.6950	$ 2.1900	$ 2.0850
Distribution Made to Limited Partner, Distributions Declared, Per Unit			$ 2.1900	$ 2.0850
Limited Partner [Member]
Operating revenues:
Rental revenues	225,789	124,612	669,387	363,445
Other property revenues	22,981	10,648	67,266	31,217
Total property revenues	248,770	135,260	736,653	394,662
Management fee income	11	146	169	465
Total operating revenues	248,781	135,406	736,822	395,127
Property operating expenses:
Personnel	26,355	14,930	76,447	43,332
Building repairs and maintenance	8,703	4,554	22,286	11,557
Real estate taxes and insurance	30,918	16,741	92,735	48,187
Utilities	14,874	7,506	41,534	20,900
Landscaping	4,002	2,894	15,391	8,595
Other operating	15,781	9,068	47,225	26,464
Depreciation and amortization	70,222	32,766	229,866	97,183
Total property operating expenses	170,855	88,459	525,484	256,218
Acquisition expense	13	0	971	499
Property management expenses	7,429	4,970	24,019	15,301
General and administrative expenses	6,511	3,976	16,065	10,604
Merger related expenses	331	5,561	3,202	11,298
Integration related expenses	147	35	7,140	35
Income from continuing operations before non-operating items	63,495	32,405	159,941	101,172
Interest and other non-property income	85	16	1,166	86
Interest expense	(28,251)	(14,923)	(89,090)	(45,657)
Loss on debt extinguishment/modification	(2,586)	(218)	(2,586)	(387)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	(1,000)	(820)	(3,485)	(2,427)
Net casualty (loss) gain after insurance and other settlement proceeds	(126)	0	(431)	455
Gain on sale of depreciable real estate assets excluded from discontinued operations	36,032	0	42,254	0
Gain on sale of non-depreciable real estate assets	0	0	535	0
Income before income tax expense	67,649	16,460	108,304	53,242
Income tax expense	(442)	(223)	(1,235)	(669)
Income from continuing operations before joint venture activity	67,207	16,237	107,069	52,573
Gain from real estate joint ventures	3,124	60	6,019	161
Income from continuing operations	70,331	16,297	113,088	52,734
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations before (loss) gain on sale	488	973	1,353	4,054
Net casualty gain (loss) after insurance and other settlement proceeds on discontinued operations	3	(1)	0	(5)
(Loss) gain on sale of discontinued operations	(103)	28,806	5,378	60,585
Consolidated net income	70,719	46,075	119,819	117,368
Net income available for Mid-America Apartments, L.P. common unitholders	$ 70,719	$ 46,075	$ 119,819	$ 117,368
Earnings per common share - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders	$ 0.89	$ 0.37	$ 1.43	$ 1.19
Discontinued property operations	$ 0.00	$ 0.67	$ 0.08	$ 1.46
Net income available for common shareholders	$ 0.89	$ 1.04	$ 1.51	$ 2.65
Earnings per common share - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders	$ 0.89	$ 0.37	$ 1.43	$ 1.19
Discontinued property operations	$ 0.00	$ 0.67	$ 0.08	$ 1.46
Net income available for common shareholders	$ 0.89	$ 1.04	$ 1.51	$ 2.65
Distribution Made to Limited Partner, Distributions Declared, Per Unit	$ 0.7300	$ 0.6950	$ 2.1900	$ 2.0850