MAA Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Shareholders' equity
Noncontrolling Interest in Joint Ventures	$ 2,300,000
Parent Company [Member]
Assets:
Land	1,816,008,000	$ 926,532,000
Buildings and improvements	10,523,762,000	6,939,288,000
Furniture, fixtures and equipment	298,204,000	228,157,000
Development and capital improvements in progress	231,224,000	44,355,000
Real estate investment property, at cost	12,869,198,000	8,138,332,000
Less accumulated depreciation	(1,656,071,000)	(1,482,368,000)
Real Estate Investment Property, Net	11,213,127,000	6,655,964,000
Undeveloped land	71,464,000	51,779,000
Corporate properties, net	12,778,000	8,812,000
Investments in real estate joint ventures	44,493,000	1,811,000
Real estate assets, net	11,341,862,000	6,718,366,000
Cash and cash equivalents	33,536,000	37,559,000
Restricted cash	88,264,000	26,082,000
Deferred financing costs, net	5,065,000	5,232,000
Other assets	134,525,000	58,935,000
Goodwill	1,239,000	1,607,000
Total assets	11,604,491,000	6,847,781,000
Liabilities:
Secured notes payable	1,319,088,000	1,286,236,000
Unsecured notes payable	3,180,624,000	2,141,332,000
Accounts payable	11,970,000	5,922,000
Fair market value of interest rate swaps	7,562,000	10,358,000
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	414,244,000	226,237,000
Security deposits	18,829,000	11,623,000
Total liabilities	4,952,317,000	3,681,708,000
Redeemable stock	10,073,000	8,250,000
Preferred Stock, Value, Outstanding	9,000	0
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	1,133,000	753,000
Additional paid-in capital	7,109,012,000	3,627,074,000
Accumulated distributions in excess of net income	(707,479,000)	(634,141,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	1,144,000	(1,589,000)
Total MAA shareholders' equity	6,403,819,000	2,992,097,000
Noncontrolling interest	235,976,000	165,726,000
Total equity	6,639,795,000	3,157,823,000
Noncontrolling Interest in Joint Ventures	2,306,000	0
Permanent Equity Attributable to Parent and Noncontrolling Interest	6,642,101,000	3,157,823,000
Total liabilities and equity	$ 11,604,491,000	$ 6,847,781,000
Redeemable stock, shares/units issued and outstanding	103,578	90,844