Basis of Presentation (Earnings per Share) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share
Net income attributable to Heartland	$ 20,009	$ 15,709
Preferred dividends	(168)	(204)
NET INCOME AVAILABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	$ 19,841	$ 15,505
Weighted average common shares outstanding for basic earnings per share	23,657	20,215
Assumed incremental common shares issued upon exercise of stock options and non-vested restricted stock units	460	278
Weighted average common shares for diluted earnings per share	24,117	20,493
Earnings per common share — basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.84	$ 0.77
Earnings per common share — diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.82	$ 0.76
Number of antidilutive common stock equivalents excluded from diluted earnings per share computation	57	0