Segment Information (Revenues and NOI for Reportable Segment) (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Revenues
Business Combination, Merger and Integration Related Expenses										$ (40,800,000)
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact											$ 0
Parent Company [Member]
Revenues
Total operating revenues	$ 382,738,000	$ 384,550,000	$ 382,791,000	$ 378,908,000	$ 307,198,000	$ 276,898,000	$ 272,236,000	$ 269,016,000	$ 1,528,987,000	1,125,348,000	1,042,779,000
Net operating income									952,256,000	701,992,000	642,134,000
Depreciation and amortization									(493,708,000)	(322,958,000)	(294,520,000)
Property management expense									(43,588,000)	(34,093,000)	(30,990,000)
General and administrative expense									(40,194,000)	(29,040,000)	(25,716,000)
Business Combination, Merger and Integration Related Expenses									(19,990,000)	(40,823,000)	0
Interest expense									(154,751,000)	(129,947,000)	(122,344,000)
Gain on sale of depreciable real estate assets excluded from discontinued operations									127,386,000	80,397,000	189,958,000
Income tax expense									(2,619,000)	(1,699,000)	(1,673,000)
Gain on sale of non-depreciable real estate assets									21,000	2,171,000	172,000
Other Nonoperating Income (Expense)									14,353,000	(1,839,000)	(6,274,000)
Gain (loss) from real estate joint ventures									1,370,000	241,000	(2,000)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(12,157,000)	(12,180,000)	(18,458,000)
Preferred Stock Dividends, Income Statement Impact									(3,688,000)	(307,000)
Net income attributable to MAA	$ 122,528,000	$ 113,787,000	$ 47,393,000	$ 40,983,000	$ 39,079,000	$ 84,279,000	$ 45,144,000	$ 43,413,000	324,691,000	211,915,000	332,287,000
Parent Company [Member] | Large Market Same Store
Revenues
Real Estate Revenue, Net									672,131,000	652,560,000	612,934,000	[1]
Net operating income									422,075,000	407,294,000	377,025,000	[1]
Parent Company [Member] | Secondary Market Same Store
Revenues
Real Estate Revenue, Net									349,007,000	340,161,000	327,700,000	[1]
Net operating income									218,673,000	213,273,000	204,382,000	[1]
Parent Company [Member] | Non Same Store And Other
Revenues
Real Estate Revenue, Net									507,849,000	132,627,000	102,145,000	[1]
Net operating income									$ 311,508,000	$ 81,425,000	$ 60,727,000	[1]

[1] The 2015 column shows the segment break down based on the 2016 same store portfolios. A comparison using the 2017 same store portfolio would not be comparative due to the nature of the segment classifications.