MAA Equity (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Common Stock [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	$ 752,000	$ 747,000
Issuance and registration of common shares	1,000	1,000
Shares repurchased and retired	0	0
Exercise of stock options	0	1,000
Shares issued in exchange for units	0	0
Ending Balance	753,000	749,000
Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	3,619,270,000	3,599,549,000
Issuance and registration of common shares	7,000	226,000
Shares repurchased and retired	(937,000)	(285,000)
Exercise of stock options	0	1,774,000
Shares issued in exchange for units	46,000	744,000
Shares issued in exchange for redeemable stock	0	998,000
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership	128,000	163,000
Amortization of unearned compensation	1,462,000	948,000
Ending Balance	3,619,976,000	3,604,117,000
Accumulated Distributions in Excess of Net Income [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	(729,086,000)	(653,593,000)
Net income attributable to MAA	61,267,000	14,866,000
Redeemable stock fair market value	(209,000)	(631,000)
Dividends on common stock	(58,034,000)	(54,792,000)
Ending Balance	(726,062,000)	(694,150,000)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	(412,000)	108,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivatives insturments (cash flow hedges)	(2,041,000)	2,583,000
Ending Balance	(2,453,000)	2,691,000
Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	161,287,000	166,726,000
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	3,410,000	848,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivatives insturments (cash flow hedges)	(114,000)	144,000
Shares issued in exchange for units	(46,000)	(744,000)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership	(128,000)	(163,000)
Dividends on common stock	0	0
Dividends on noncontrolling interest units	(3,226,000)	(3,072,000)
Ending Balance	161,183,000	163,739,000
Stockholders' Equity, Total [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	3,051,811,000	3,113,537,000
Net Income Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	64,677,000	15,714,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivatives insturments (cash flow hedges)	(2,155,000)	2,727,000
Issuance and registration of common shares	8,000	227,000
Shares repurchased and retired	(937,000)	(285,000)
Exercise of stock options	0	1,775,000
Shares issued in exchange for units	0	0
Shares issued in exchange for redeemable stock	0	998,000
Redeemable stock fair market value	(209,000)	(631,000)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership	0	0
Amortization of unearned compensation	1,462,000	948,000
Dividends on common stock	(58,034,000)	(54,792,000)
Dividends on noncontrolling interest units	(3,226,000)	(3,072,000)
Ending Balance	$ 3,053,397,000	$ 3,077,146,000