Name:	avb_AdditionalNumberofCommunitiesExpectedToBeDeveloped
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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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Estimated number of apartment homes in communities awaiting development.

No definition available.

Name:	avb_EstimatedNumberOfApartmentHomesInCommunitiesExpectedToBeDeveloped
Namespace Prefix:	avb_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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Period Type:	instant

Expected aggregate number of homes to be constructed.

No definition available.

Name:	avb_ExpectedAggregateNumberOfApartmentHomesToBeConstructed
Namespace Prefix:	avb_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Number of apartment homes under reconstruction within communities with apartments under reconstruction.

No definition available.

Name:	avb_NumberOfApartmentHomesUnderReconstruction
Namespace Prefix:	avb_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Number of Communities Held for Sale

No definition available.

Name:	avb_NumberOfCommunitiesHeldForSale
Namespace Prefix:	avb_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Number of communities with apartments under reconstruction.

No definition available.

Name:	avb_NumberOfCommunitiesWithApartmentsUnderReconstruction
Namespace Prefix:	avb_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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Number of owned communities (or where a direct or indirect interest is owned) that are under construction.

No definition available.

Name:	avb_NumberOfOwnedCommunitiesUnderConstruction
Namespace Prefix:	avb_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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Number of Residential Condominium Units

No definition available.

Name:	avb_NumberOfResidentialCondominiumUnits
Namespace Prefix:	avb_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Retail Square Feet

No definition available.

Name:	avb_RetailSquareFeet
Namespace Prefix:	avb_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Useful life of finite-lived intangible assets, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetUsefulLife
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
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Period Type:	duration

The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The number of states the entity operates in as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfStatesInWhichEntityOperates
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The number of units in a real estate property owned as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfUnitsInRealEstateProperty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Amount of lessee's right to use underlying asset under operating lease.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77888419&loc=SL77918627-209977

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeaseRightOfUseAsset
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_BuildingAndBuildingImprovementsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_FurnitureAndFixturesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_AdjustmentsForNewAccountingPronouncementsAxis=us-gaap_AccountingStandardsUpdate201602Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=avb_DevelopmentCommunitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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