MAA Equity (Details) - USD ($)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 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	3,000
Shares issued in exchange for units	0	0
Ending Balance	754,000	752,000
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	324,000	726,000
Shares repurchased and retired	(957,000)	(456,000)
Exercise of stock options	420,000	11,913,000
Shares issued in exchange for units	236,000	992,000
Shares issued in exchange for redeemable stock		998,000
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership	(409,000)	(55,000)
Amortization of unearned compensation	4,950,000	3,180,000
Ending Balance	3,623,834,000	3,616,847,000
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	289,300,000	113,455,000
Redeemable stock fair market value	(614,000)	(286,000)
Dividends on common stock	(174,100,000)	(164,598,000)
Ending Balance	(614,500,000)	(705,022,000)
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)	(5,894,000)	288,000
Ending Balance	(6,306,000)	396,000
Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	161,287,000	166,726,000
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	16,078,000	6,364,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivatives insturments (cash flow hedges)	(328,000)	15,000
Shares issued in exchange for units	(236,000)	(992,000)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership	409,000	55,000
Dividends on common stock	0	0
Dividends on noncontrolling interest units	(9,671,000)	(9,209,000)
Ending Balance	167,539,000	162,959,000
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	305,378,000	119,819,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivatives insturments (cash flow hedges)	(6,222,000)	303,000
Issuance and registration of common shares	326,000	728,000
Shares repurchased and retired	(957,000)	(456,000)
Exercise of stock options	420,000	11,916,000
Shares issued in exchange for units	0	0
Shares issued in exchange for redeemable stock		998,000
Redeemable stock fair market value	(614,000)	(286,000)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership	0	0
Amortization of unearned compensation	4,950,000	3,180,000
Dividends on common stock	(174,100,000)	(164,598,000)
Dividends on noncontrolling interest units	(9,671,000)	(9,209,000)
Ending Balance	$ 3,171,321,000	$ 3,075,932,000