MAA Consolidated Balance Sheets - Parent Company [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Assets:
Land	$ 1,868,828	$ 1,836,417
Buildings, Improvements, and Other	11,670,216	11,281,504
Development and capital improvements in progress	59,506	116,833
Real estate investment property, at cost	13,598,550	13,234,754
Less accumulated depreciation	(2,549,287)	(2,075,071)
Real Estate Investment Property, Net	11,049,263	11,159,683
Undeveloped land	58,257	57,285
Investments in real estate joint ventures	44,181	44,956
Real estate assets, net	11,151,701	11,261,924
Cash and cash equivalents	34,259	10,750
Restricted Cash	17,414	78,117
Other assets	120,407	135,807
Real Estate Held-for-sale	0	5,321
Total assets	11,323,781	11,491,919
Liabilities:
Unsecured notes payable	4,053,302	3,525,765
Secured notes payable	475,026	976,292
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	413,850	405,560
Total liabilities	4,942,178	4,907,617
Redeemable stock	9,414	10,408
Shareholders' equity
Preferred Stock, Value, Outstanding	9	9
Common stock, $0.01 par value per share, 145,000,000 shares authorized; 113,844,267 and 113,643,166 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively	1,136	1,134
Additional paid-in capital	7,138,170	7,121,112
Accumulated distributions in excess of net income	(989,263)	(784,500)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(212)	2,157
Total MAA shareholders' equity	6,149,840	6,339,912
Noncontrolling interest	220,043	231,676
Total equity	6,369,883	6,571,588
Noncontrolling Interest in Joint Ventures	2,306	2,306
Permanent Equity Attributable to Parent and Noncontrolling Interest	6,372,189	6,573,894
Total liabilities and equity	$ 11,323,781	$ 11,491,919
Redeemable stock, shares/units issued and outstanding	98,371	103,504