MAA Equity (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Common Stock [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Shares repurchased and retired		$ 0
Shares issued in exchange for units		0
Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Dividends on common stock		0
Parent Company [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 50,820,000	43,416,000
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	6,518,057,000		$ 6,571,588,000
Noncontrolling Interest in Joint Ventures	2,306,000	2,306,000	2,306,000	$ 2,306,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Preferred Stock, Value, Outstanding	9,000		9,000
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	922,000	922,000
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Effect of Adoption, Quantification	233,000	0
Parent Company [Member] | Accumulated Distributions in Excess of Net Income [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	(784,500,000)	(707,479,000)
Net income attributable to MAA	49,019,000	41,905,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivatives insturments (cash flow hedges)	0
Issuance and registration of common shares	0
Shares repurchased and retired	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Stock Options Exercised	0
Shares issued in exchange for units	0
Redeemable stock fair market value	965,000	(298,000)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership	0
Amortization of unearned compensation	0	(114,000)
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	922,000	922,000
Dividends on common stock	(104,971,000)	(98,841,000)
Dividends on noncontrolling interest units	0
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Effect of Adoption, Quantification	(233,000)
Ending Balance	(840,642,000)	(765,749,000)
Parent Company [Member] | Preferred Stock [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		0
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	9,000	9,000	$ 9,000	$ 9,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivatives insturments (cash flow hedges)		0
Issuance and registration of common shares		0
Preferred Stock, Value, Outstanding		0
Shares repurchased and retired		0
Shares issued in exchange for units		0
Redeemable stock fair market value		0
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership		0
Amortization of unearned compensation		0
Dividends on common stock		0
Dividends on noncontrolling interest units		0
Parent Company [Member] | Preferred Stock Including Additional Paid in Capital [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance and registration of common shares		2,007,000
Parent Company [Member] | Common Stock [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	1,134,000	1,133,000
Issuance and registration of common shares	1,000	1,000
Shares repurchased and retired	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Stock Options Exercised	0
Shares issued in exchange for units	0
Ending Balance	1,135,000	1,134,000
Parent Company [Member] | Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	7,121,112,000	7,109,012,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivatives insturments (cash flow hedges)	0
Shares repurchased and retired	(2,912,000)	(4,734,000)
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Stock Options Exercised	625,000
Shares issued in exchange for units	2,780,000	167,000
Shares issued in exchange for redeemable stock	1,915,000	1,482,000
Redeemable stock fair market value	0
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership	92,000	305,000
Amortization of unearned compensation	4,024,000	3,139,000
Dividends on common stock	0
Dividends on noncontrolling interest units	0
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Effect of Adoption, Quantification	0
Ending Balance	7,127,740,000	7,111,445,000
Parent Company [Member] | Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	231,676,000	235,976,000
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	1,801,000	1,511,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivatives insturments (cash flow hedges)	29,000	113,000
Issuance and registration of common shares	0	0
Shares repurchased and retired	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Stock Options Exercised	0
Shares issued in exchange for units	(2,780,000)	(167,000)
Redeemable stock fair market value	0
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership	(92,000)	(305,000)
Amortization of unearned compensation	0
Dividends on common stock	0
Dividends on noncontrolling interest units	(3,819,000)	(3,664,000)
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Effect of Adoption, Quantification	0
Ending Balance	226,815,000	233,464,000
Parent Company [Member] | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]
Equity [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	2,157,000	1,144,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivatives insturments (cash flow hedges)	610,000	3,079,000
Issuance and registration of common shares	0
Shares repurchased and retired	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Stock Options Exercised	0
Shares issued in exchange for units	0
Redeemable stock fair market value	0
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership	0
Amortization of unearned compensation	0
Dividends on common stock	0
Dividends on noncontrolling interest units	0
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Effect of Adoption, Quantification	233,000
Ending Balance	3,000,000	4,223,000
Parent Company [Member] | Common Stock Including Additional Paid in Capital [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance and registration of common shares	104,000	67,000
Parent Company [Member] | Stockholders' Equity, Total [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	6,573,894,000	6,642,101,000
Net Income Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	50,820,000	43,416,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivatives insturments (cash flow hedges)	639,000	3,192,000
Issuance and registration of common shares	105,000	68,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, and Warrants		2,007,000
Shares repurchased and retired	(2,912,000)	(4,734,000)
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Stock Options Exercised	625,000
Shares issued in exchange for units	0	0
Shares issued in exchange for redeemable stock	1,915,000	1,482,000
Redeemable stock fair market value	965,000	(298,000)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership	0	0
Amortization of unearned compensation	4,024,000	3,025,000
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	922,000	(922,000)
Dividends on common stock	(104,971,000)	(98,841,000)
Dividends on noncontrolling interest units	(3,819,000)	(3,664,000)
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Effect of Adoption, Quantification	0
Ending Balance	$ 6,520,363,000	$ 6,586,832,000