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, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]
Income from Continuing Operations, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		$ 81,459	$ 54,704	$ 211,558	$ 167,505
Income from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests		(2,814)	(1,913)	(7,336)	(5,888)
Income from continuing operations allocated to unvested restricted shares		(118)	(69)	(302)	(211)
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash		(922)	(922)	(2,766)	(2,766)
Income from continuing operations available for common shareholders, adjusted		$ 77,605	$ 51,800	$ 201,154	$ 158,640
Weighted average common shares - basic		113,877	113,671	113,814	113,620
Earnings per share - basic		$ 0.68	$ 0.46	$ 1.77	$ 1.40
Income from Continuing Operations, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		$ 81,459	$ 54,704	$ 211,558	$ 167,505
Income from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests	[1]	(2,814)	(1,913)	(7,336)	(5,888)
Adjusted Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Available for Common Shareholders, Diluted		$ 77,723	$ 51,869	$ 201,456	$ 158,851
Effect of dilutive securities		260	239	238	201
Weighted average common shares - diluted		114,137	113,910	114,052	113,821
Earnings per share - diluted		$ 0.68	$ 0.46	$ 1.77	$ 1.40
Limited Partnership Units [Member]
Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount		4,100	4,100	4,100	4,100

[1] For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 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.