Notes Payable - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes Payable	$ 3,479,493,000us-gaap_NotesPayable	$ 3,520,000,000us-gaap_NotesPayable
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End	3.70%	3.70%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage	3.70%	3.70%
Conventional Variable Rate Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Variable Interest, Percentage Rate	0.80%
Long-term Debt	80,800,000
Capped Conventional Variable Rate Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Variable Interest, Percentage Rate	0.90%
Long-term Debt	176,700,000
Other Than Conventional Variable Rate Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt	1,200,000,000
Debt Instrument Average Interest Rate	4.00%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured notes payable	1,900,000,000
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Fixed Interest, Percentage Rate	4.00%
Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes Payable	1,429,069,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End	3.50%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage	3.50%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Federal National Mortgage Association Certificates and Obligations (FNMA) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	0.17%
Line of Credit Facility, Commitment Fee Percentage	0.62%
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	320,800,000
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	360,000,000
Debt Renewal Period	90 days
Secured Debt [Member] \| Federal National Mortgage Association Certificates and Obligations (FNMA) [Member] \| Variable Rate Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End	0.80%
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	270,800,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage	0.80%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Federal National Mortgage Association Certificates and Obligations (FNMA) [Member] \| Fixed Rate Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End	4.70%
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	50,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage	4.70%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Mortgages [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate	33,700,000
Secured Debt [Member] \| Mortgages [Member] \| Variable Rate Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Variable Interest, Percentage Rate	7.00%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End	3.10%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage	3.10%
Loss on debt extinguishment	200,000
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate	11,704,000
Repayments of Debt	15,200,000
Secured Debt [Member] \| Mortgages [Member] \| Fixed Rate Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End	4.00%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage	4.00%
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate	1,096,580,000
Unsecured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes Payable	2,050,424,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End	3.80%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage	3.80%
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| Wells Fargo Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	250,000,000
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| US Bank Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	150,000,000
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| $500 million unsecured revolving credit faciltiy [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End	1.28%
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	179,000,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	3,800,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage	1.28%
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	500,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity	496,200,000
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| $500 million unsecured revolving credit faciltiy [Member] \| Variable Rate Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End	1.30%
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	179,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage	1.30%
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| KeyBank Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	150,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End	1.35%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage	1.35%
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| Wells Fargo and US Bank Term Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End	1.15%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage	1.15%
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| 2011 and 2012 Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	310,000,000
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	550,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate at Period End	3.10%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage	3.10%
Minimum [Member] \| Unsecured Debt [Member] \| $500 million unsecured revolving credit faciltiy [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	0.90%
Minimum [Member] \| Unsecured Debt [Member] \| KeyBank Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	1.10%
Minimum [Member] \| Unsecured Debt [Member] \| Wells Fargo and US Bank Term Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	0.90%
Maximum [Member] \| Unsecured Debt [Member] \| $500 million unsecured revolving credit faciltiy [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	1.70%
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	800,000,000
Maximum [Member] \| Unsecured Debt [Member] \| KeyBank Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	2.05%
Maximum [Member] \| Unsecured Debt [Member] \| Wells Fargo and US Bank Term Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	1.90%
Tax Free Credit Facility [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Federal National Mortgage Association Certificates and Obligations (FNMA) [Member] \| Variable Rate Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayments of Lines of Credit	91,100,000
Loss on debt extinguishment	$ 3,100,000

Debt Instrument, Average Interest Rate

No definition available.

Name:	maa_DebtInstrumentAverageInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	maa_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Debt Renewal Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-Topic 210

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-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

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Period Type:	instant

- Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Difference between the fair value of payments made and the carrying amount of debt which is extinguished prior to maturity.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

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-Topic 470

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-Topic 470

-SubTopic 50

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-Paragraph 4

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+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

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-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)

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+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for the line of credit facility regardless of whether the facility has been used.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of current borrowing capacity under the credit facility considering any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed (for example, borrowings may be limited by the amount of current assets), but without considering any amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount of long-term debt, net of unamortized discount or premium, including current and noncurrent amounts. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

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-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 20, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The interest rate applicable to the portion of the carrying amount of long-term borrowings outstanding as of the balance sheet date, including current maturities, which accrues interest at a set, unchanging rate.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

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- Definition

Total carrying amount of mortgage loans as of the balance sheet date.

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-Topic 205

-SubTopic 10

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-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-04.(c) Schedule IV)

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-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-29.6)

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Including the current and noncurrent portions, aggregate carrying amount of all types of notes payable, as of the balance sheet date, with initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash outflow during the period from the repayment of aggregate short-term and long-term debt. Excludes payment of capital lease obligations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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- Definition

Amount of cash outflow for payment of an obligation from a lender, including but not limited to, letter of credit, standby letter of credit and revolving credit arrangements.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

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-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(f))

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-Subparagraph (b)

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-Glossary Financing Activities

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Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of uncollateralized debt obligations (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer).

+ References

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-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Article 5

-Subsection 19, 20, 22

+ Details

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