Earnings Per Common Share of MAA (Details) - Parent Company [Member] - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]
Weighted average common shares - basic		75,249	75,145
Weighted average partnership units outstanding	[1]	0	0
Effect of dilutive securities	[2]	240	0
Weighted average common shares - diluted		75,489	75,145
Calculation of Basic Earnings per Share [Member]
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]
Income from continuing operations		$ 45,808	$ 64,677
Income from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests		(2,395)	(3,410)
Income from continuing operations allocated to unvested restricted shares		(103)	(131)
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders, adjusted		$ 43,310	$ 61,136
Earnings per share - basic		$ 0.58	$ 0.81
Calculation of Diluted Earnings per Share [Member]
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]
Income from continuing operations		$ 45,808	$ 64,677
Income from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests	[1]	(2,395)	(3,410)
Income from continuing operations allocated to unvested restricted shares	[2]	0	(131)
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders, adjusted		$ 43,413	$ 61,136
Earnings per share - diluted		$ 0.58	$ 0.81
Limited Partnership Units [Member]
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount		4,200
Restricted Stock [Member]
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount			200

[1] (1) For both the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, 4.2 million operating partnership units and their related income are not included in the diluted earnings per share calculations as they are not dilutive.

[2] (2) For the three months ended March 31, 2015, 0.2 million potentially dilutive securities and their related income are not included in the diluted earnings per share calculations as they are not dilutive.