Earnings Per Common Share of MAA Earnings Per Common Share of MAA (Details) - Parent Company [Member] - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]
Weighted average common shares - basic		113,507	113,338
Weighted average partnership units outstanding	[1]	0	4,219
Effect of dilutive securities	[2]	0	307
Weighted average common shares - diluted		113,507	117,864
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash		$ 922	$ 922
Calculation of Basic Earnings per Share [Member]
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]
Income from continuing operations		50,820	43,416
Income from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests		(1,801)	(1,511)
Income from continuing operations allocated to unvested restricted shares		(79)	(73)
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash		(922)	(922)
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders, adjusted		$ 48,018	$ 40,910
Earnings per share - basic		$ 0.42	$ 0.36
Calculation of Diluted Earnings per Share [Member]
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]
Income from continuing operations		$ 50,820	$ 43,416
Income from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests	[1]	(1,801)	0
Income from continuing operations allocated to unvested restricted shares	[2]	(79)	0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash		(922)	(922)
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders, adjusted		$ 48,018	$ 42,494
Earnings per share - diluted		$ 0.42	$ 0.36
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 the three months ended March 31, 2018, 4.2 million OP 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, 2018, 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.