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		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]
Weighted average common shares - basic		113,646	113,403	113,595	113,371
Weighted average partnership units outstanding	[1]	0	0	0	0
Effect of dilutive securities		207	211	174	279
Weighted average common shares - diluted		113,853	113,614	113,769	113,650
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash				$ 1,844	$ 1,844
Calculation of Basic Earnings per Share [Member]
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]
Income from continuing operations		$ 61,981	$ 50,155	112,801	93,571
Income from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests		(2,174)	(1,840)	(3,975)	(3,351)
Income from continuing operations allocated to unvested restricted shares		(78)	(76)	(142)	(149)
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash		(922)	(922)	(1,844)	(1,844)
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders, adjusted		$ 58,807	$ 47,317	$ 106,840	$ 88,227
Earnings per share - basic		$ 0.52	$ 0.42	$ 0.94	$ 0.78
Calculation of Diluted Earnings per Share [Member]
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]
Income from continuing operations		$ 61,981	$ 50,155	$ 112,801	$ 93,571
Income from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests	[1]	(2,174)	(1,840)	(3,975)	(3,351)
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash		(922)	(922)	(1,844)	(1,844)
Adjusted Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Available for Common Shareholders, Diluted		$ 58,885	$ 47,393	$ 106,982	$ 88,376
Earnings per share - diluted		$ 0.52	$ 0.42	$ 0.94	$ 0.78
Limited Partnership Units [Member]
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount		4,100			4,200

[1] (1) For the three months ended June 30, 2018, 4.1 million OP Units and their related income are not included in the diluted earnings per share calculations as they are not dilutive. For the six months ended June 30, 2018 and the three and six months ended June 30, 2017, 4.2 million OP Units and their related income are not included in the diluted earnings per share calculations as they are not dilutive.