MAA Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Parent Company [Member]
Assets:
Land	$ 926,532,000	$ 913,408,000
Buildings and improvements	6,939,288,000	6,781,210,000
Furniture, fixtures and equipment	228,157,000	214,742,000
Development and capital improvements in progress	44,355,000	80,772,000
Real estate investment property, at cost	8,138,332,000	7,990,132,000
Less accumulated depreciation	(1,482,368,000)	(1,358,400,000)
Real Estate Investment Property, Net	6,655,964,000	6,631,732,000
Undeveloped land	51,779,000	55,997,000
Corporate properties, net	8,812,000	7,988,000
Investments in real estate joint ventures	1,811,000	1,791,000
Real estate assets, net	6,718,366,000	6,697,508,000
Cash and cash equivalents	37,559,000	26,653,000
Restricted cash	26,082,000	28,181,000
Deferred financing costs, net	5,232,000	5,996,000
Other assets	58,935,000	61,119,000
Goodwill	1,607,000	2,321,000
Total assets	6,847,781,000	6,821,778,000
Liabilities:
Secured notes payable	1,286,236,000	1,589,641,000
Unsecured notes payable	2,141,332,000	1,923,058,000
Accounts payable	5,922,000	8,395,000
Fair market value of interest rate swaps	10,358,000	13,392,000
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	226,237,000	219,044,000
Security deposits	11,623,000	10,526,000
Total liabilities	3,681,708,000	3,764,056,000
Redeemable stock	8,250,000	5,911,000
Shareholders' equity
Common stock, $0.01 par value per share, 100,000,000 shares authorized; 75,408,571 and 75,267,675 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively	753,000	752,000
Additional paid-in capital	3,627,074,000	3,619,270,000
Accumulated distributions in excess of net income	(634,141,000)	(729,086,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(1,589,000)	(412,000)
Total MAA shareholders' equity	2,992,097,000	2,890,524,000
Noncontrolling interest	165,726,000	161,287,000
Total equity	3,157,823,000	3,051,811,000
Total liabilities and equity	$ 6,847,781,000	$ 6,821,778,000
Redeemable stock, shares/units issued and outstanding	90,844	87,818
Secured Debt [Member]
Unamortized Debt Issuance Expense	$ 1,600,000	$ 2,500,000
Unsecured Debt
Unamortized Debt Issuance Expense	$ 11,700,000	$ 9,300,000