Earnings Per Common Share of MAA - Schedule of Computation of Diluted Earnings per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2024	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2024	Sep. 30, 2023
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]
Net income		$ 118,230	$ 113,732	$ 370,502	$ 402,963
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		(3,035)	(3,000)	(9,605)	(10,633)
Unvested restricted shares (allocation of earnings)		(53)	(44)	(163)	(161)
Dividends to MAA Series I preferred shareholders		(922)	(922)	(2,766)	(2,766)
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders, adjusted		$ 114,220	$ 109,766	$ 357,968	$ 389,403
Weighted average common shares - basic		116,820	116,633	116,758	116,479
Earnings per common share - basic		$ 0.98	$ 0.94	$ 3.07	$ 3.34
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	[1]	$ (3,035)	$ (3,000)	$ (9,605)	$ (10,633)
Unvested restricted shares (allocation of earnings)		(53)	0	(163)	0
Net income available for MAA common shareholders, adjusted		114,220	109,810	357,968	389,564
Dividends to MAA Series I preferred shareholders		$ (922)	$ (922)	$ (2,766)	$ (2,766)
Weighted average common shares - diluted		116,820	116,711	116,758	116,613
Effect of dilutive securities		0	78	0	134
Earnings per common share - diluted		$ 0.98	$ 0.94	$ 3.07	$ 3.34
Limited Partnership Units [Member]
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount		3,100	3,200	3,100	3,200

[1] For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, 3.1 million OP Units and 3.2 million OP Units, respectively, and their related income are not included in the diluted earnings per share calculations as they are not dilutive.