Selected Quarterly Financial Information (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact			$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0		$ 0	$ 0
Limited Partner [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	$ 307,198,000	$ 276,898,000	272,236,000	269,016,000	263,337,000	261,998,000	258,891,000	258,552,000	$ 1,125,348,000	1,042,779,000	992,332,000
Income from continuing operations before non-operating items	43,857,000	73,790,000	77,794,000	76,709,000	76,763,000	73,138,000	68,837,000	69,393,000	272,150,000	288,131,000	230,233,000
Interest expense	(33,529,000)	(32,168,000)	(32,039,000)	(32,211,000)	(30,834,000)	(30,229,000)	(30,433,000)	(30,848,000)	(129,947,000)	(122,344,000)	(123,953,000)
Loss from real estate joint ventures	214,000	0	(101,000)	128,000	3,000	(1,000)	(23,000)	19,000	241,000	(2,000)	6,009,000
Loss from discontinued operations before gain on sale									0	0	(63,000)
Gain on sale of discontinued operations									0	0	5,394,000
Consolidated net income	42,058,000	88,906,000	47,630,000	45,808,000	45,367,000	96,828,000	143,873,000	64,677,000	224,402,000	350,745,000	156,277,000
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact	307,000	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	$ (307,000)	$ 0	$ 0
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Unitholders	$ 41,751,000	$ 88,906,000	$ 47,630,000	$ 45,808,000	$ 45,367,000	$ 96,828,000	$ 143,873,000	$ 64,677,000
Earnings per share - basic	$ 0.45	$ 1.12	$ 0.60	$ 0.61	$ 0.57	$ 1.22	$ 1.81	$ 0.81	$ 2.70	$ 4.41	$ 1.97
Earnings per share - diluted	0.45	1.12	0.60	0.61	0.57	1.22	1.81	0.81	$ 2.70	$ 4.41	$ 1.97
Distribution Made to Limited Partner, Distributions Paid, Per Unit	$ 0.82	$ 0.82	$ 0.82	$ 0.82	$ 0.77	$ 0.77	$ 0.77	$ 0.77
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities									$ 484,039,000	$ 463,721,000	$ 385,378,000
Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash									(315,000)	2,091,000	(8,704,000)
Proceeds from Stock Options Exercised									0	420,000	12,245,000
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities									(710,487,000)	(136,215,000)	(203,764,000)
Return (funding) of escrow for future acquisitions									(58,259,000)	8,000	24,884,000
Payments To Acquire Real Estate And Other Assets									(339,186,000)	(328,193,000)	(309,174,000)
Payments for Capital Improvements									(80,392,000)	(88,486,000)	(90,201,000)
Construction capital and other improvements									(7,338,000)	(7,848,000)	(7,998,000)
Renovations to Existing Real Estate Assets									(37,316,000)	(30,957,000)	(21,089,000)
Payments to Develop Real Estate Assets									(58,931,000)	(38,730,000)	(70,788,000)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities									222,425,000	(316,600,000)	(244,294,000)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	$ 307,198,000	$ 276,898,000	$ 272,236,000	$ 269,016,000	$ 263,337,000	$ 261,998,000	$ 258,891,000	$ 258,552,000	1,125,348,000	1,042,779,000	992,332,000
Income from continuing operations before non-operating items	43,857,000	73,790,000	77,794,000	76,709,000	76,763,000	73,138,000	68,837,000	69,393,000	272,150,000	288,131,000	230,233,000
Interest expense	33,529,000	32,168,000	32,039,000	32,211,000	30,834,000	30,229,000	30,433,000	30,848,000	(129,947,000)	(122,344,000)	(123,953,000)
Loss from real estate joint ventures	214,000	0	(101,000)	128,000	3,000	(1,000)	(23,000)	19,000	241,000	(2,000)	6,009,000
Loss from discontinued operations before gain on sale									0	0	(63,000)
Gain on sale of discontinued operations									0	0	5,394,000
Consolidated net income	42,058,000	88,906,000	47,630,000	45,808,000	45,367,000	96,828,000	143,873,000	64,677,000	224,402,000	350,745,000	156,277,000
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	2,672,000	4,627,000	2,486,000	2,395,000	2,380,000	5,094,000	7,574,000	3,410,000	12,180,000	18,458,000	8,297,000
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact	(307,000)	0							307,000
Net income (loss) available for MAA common shareholders	$ 39,079,000	$ 84,279,000	$ 45,144,000	$ 43,413,000	$ 42,987,000	$ 91,734,000	$ 136,299,000	$ 61,267,000	$ 211,915,000	$ 332,287,000	$ 147,980,000
Earnings per share - basic	$ 0.44	$ 1.12	$ 0.60	$ 0.58	$ 0.57	$ 1.22	$ 1.81	$ 0.81	$ 2.69	$ 4.41	$ 1.97
Earnings per share - diluted	0.44	1.12	0.60	0.58	0.57	1.22	1.81	0.81	2.69	4.41	1.97
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Cash Paid	$ 0.82	$ 0.82	$ 0.82	$ 0.82	$ 0.77	$ 0.77	$ 0.77	$ 0.77	$ 3.28	$ 3.08	$ 2.92
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities									$ 484,039,000	$ 463,721,000	$ 385,378,000
Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash									(315,000)	2,091,000	(8,704,000)
Proceeds from Stock Options Exercised									0	420,000	12,245,000
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities									(710,487,000)	(136,215,000)	(203,764,000)
Return (funding) of escrow for future acquisitions									(58,259,000)	8,000	24,884,000
Payments To Acquire Real Estate And Other Assets									(339,186,000)	(328,193,000)	(309,174,000)
Payments for Capital Improvements									(80,392,000)	(88,486,000)	(90,201,000)
Construction capital and other improvements									(7,338,000)	(7,848,000)	(7,998,000)
Renovations to Existing Real Estate Assets									(37,316,000)	(30,957,000)	(21,089,000)
Payments to Develop Real Estate Assets									(58,931,000)	(38,730,000)	(70,788,000)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities									$ 222,425,000	$ (316,600,000)	$ (244,294,000)