MAA Equity (Details) - USD ($)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Common Stock [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	$ 752,000	$ 747,000
Issuance and registration of common shares	2,000	2,000
Shares repurchased and retired	0	0
Exercise of stock options	0	2,000
Shares issued in exchange for units	0	0
Ending Balance	754,000	751,000
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	182,000	573,000
Shares repurchased and retired	(945,000)	(336,000)
Exercise of stock options	420,000	9,542,000
Shares issued in exchange for units	184,000	799,000
Shares issued in exchange for redeemable stock		998,000
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership	45,000	51,000
Amortization of unearned compensation	3,167,000	2,045,000
Ending Balance	3,622,323,000	3,613,221,000
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	197,566,000	46,479,000
Redeemable stock fair market value	173,000	(848,000)
Dividends on common stock	(116,066,000)	(109,680,000)
Ending Balance	(647,413,000)	(717,642,000)
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)	1,364,000	(1,503,000)
Ending Balance	952,000	(1,395,000)
Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	161,287,000	166,726,000
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	10,984,000	2,621,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivatives insturments (cash flow hedges)	76,000	(87,000)
Shares issued in exchange for units	(184,000)	(799,000)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership	(45,000)	(51,000)
Dividends on common stock	0	0
Dividends on noncontrolling interest units	(6,449,000)	(6,143,000)
Ending Balance	165,669,000	162,267,000
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	208,550,000	49,100,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivatives insturments (cash flow hedges)	1,440,000	(1,590,000)
Issuance and registration of common shares	184,000	575,000
Shares repurchased and retired	(945,000)	(336,000)
Exercise of stock options	420,000	9,544,000
Shares issued in exchange for units	0	0
Shares issued in exchange for redeemable stock		998,000
Redeemable stock fair market value	173,000	(848,000)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership	0	0
Amortization of unearned compensation	3,167,000	2,045,000
Dividends on common stock	(116,066,000)	(109,680,000)
Dividends on noncontrolling interest units	(6,449,000)	(6,143,000)
Ending Balance	$ 3,142,285,000	$ 3,057,202,000