MAA Equity (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Stockholders' Equity, Total [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Stock Options Exercised				$ 218,000
Common Stock [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Shares repurchased and retired				0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Stock Options Exercised				0
Shares issued in exchange for units				0
Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Stock Options Exercised				218,000
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	$ 61,981,000	$ 50,155,000	$ 112,801,000	93,571,000
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	6,477,174,000		6,477,174,000		$ 6,571,588,000
Noncontrolling Interest in Joint Ventures	2,306,000	2,306,000	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		9,000
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash			1,844,000	1,844,000
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			108,826,000	90,220,000
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			73,000	(719,000)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership			0
Amortization of unearned compensation			0	(114,000)
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash			1,844,000	1,844,000
Dividends on common stock			(209,994,000)	(197,680,000)
Dividends on noncontrolling interest units			0
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Effect of Adoption, Quantification			(233,000)
Ending Balance	(887,672,000)	(817,616,000)	(887,672,000)	(817,616,000)
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	$ 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		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
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			1,000
Ending Balance	1,136,000	1,134,000	1,136,000	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)	(4,782,000)
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Stock Options Exercised			625,000
Shares issued in exchange for units			3,117,000	265,000
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			295,000	123,000
Amortization of unearned compensation			6,987,000	5,739,000
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	7,130,902,000	7,114,079,000	7,130,902,000	7,114,079,000
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			3,975,000	3,351,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivatives insturments (cash flow hedges)			208,000	(16,000)
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			(3,118,000)	(265,000)
Redeemable stock fair market value			0
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership			(295,000)	(123,000)
Amortization of unearned compensation			0
Dividends on common stock			0
Dividends on noncontrolling interest units			(7,633,000)	(7,328,000)
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Effect of Adoption, Quantification			0
Ending Balance	224,813,000	231,595,000	224,813,000	231,595,000
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)			5,596,000	(409,000)
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	7,986,000	735,000	7,986,000	735,000
Parent Company [Member] | Common Stock Including Additional Paid in Capital [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance and registration of common shares			(237,000)	15,000
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			112,801,000	93,571,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income - derivatives insturments (cash flow hedges)			5,804,000	(425,000)
Issuance and registration of common shares			(236,000)	16,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Preferred Stock, Preference Stock, and Warrants				2,007,000
Shares repurchased and retired			(2,912,000)	(4,782,000)
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			73,000	(719,000)
Adjustment for noncontrolling interest ownership in operating partnership			0	0
Amortization of unearned compensation			6,987,000	5,625,000
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash			1,844,000	(1,844,000)
Dividends on common stock			(209,994,000)	(197,680,000)
Dividends on noncontrolling interest units			(7,633,000)	(7,328,000)
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Effect of Adoption, Quantification			0
Ending Balance	$ 6,479,480,000	$ 6,532,242,000	$ 6,479,480,000	$ 6,532,242,000