CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parentheticals) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Amortized cost of securities	$ 6,788,729	$ 7,536,338
Held to maturity securities, fair value	776,557	94,139
Held to maturity, allowance for credit losses	$ 0	$ 0
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 1	$ 1
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares)	60,000,000	60,000,000
Common stock, shares issued (in shares)	42,467,394	42,275,264
Preferred Stock
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 1	$ 1
Preferred stock, shares authorized (in shares)	6,104	6,104
Preferred stock, shares issued (in shares)	0	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	0	0
Series A Preferred Stock
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 1	$ 1
Preferred stock, shares authorized (in shares)	16,000	16,000
Preferred stock, shares issued (in shares)	0	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	0	0
Series B Preferred Stock
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 1	$ 1
Preferred stock, shares authorized (in shares)	81,698	81,698
Preferred stock, shares issued (in shares)	0	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	0	0
Series C Preferred Stock
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 1	$ 1
Preferred stock, shares authorized (in shares)	81,698	81,698
Preferred stock, shares issued (in shares)	0	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	0	0
Series D Preferred Stock
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 1	$ 1
Preferred stock, shares authorized (in shares)	3,000	3,000
Preferred stock, shares issued (in shares)	0	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	0	0
Series E preferred stock
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 1	$ 1
Preferred stock, shares authorized (in shares)	11,500	11,500
Preferred stock, shares issued (in shares)	11,500	11,500
Preferred stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	11,500	11,500
Obligations of states and political subdivisions
Held to maturity securities, fair value	$ 776,557	$ 94,139
Held to maturity, allowance for credit losses	$ 0	$ 0

Marketable Securities, Amortized Cost Basis

No definition available.

Name:	htlf_MarketableSecuritiesAmortizedCostBasis
Namespace Prefix:	htlf_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face amount or stated value per share of common stock.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The maximum number of common shares permitted to be issued by an entity's charter and bylaws.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total number of common shares of an entity that have been sold or granted to shareholders (includes common shares that were issued, repurchased and remain in the treasury). These shares represent capital invested by the firm's shareholders and owners, and may be all or only a portion of the number of shares authorized. Shares issued include shares outstanding and shares held in the treasury.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, excluding accrued interest, of allowance for credit loss on investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255206&loc=SL82895884-210446

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesHeldToMaturityAllowanceForCreditLossExcludingAccruedInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (aa)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(6))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126897435&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5A
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=SL120269820-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face amount or stated value per share of preferred stock nonredeemable or redeemable solely at the option of the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126973232&loc=SL123496158-112644

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The maximum number of nonredeemable preferred shares (or preferred stock redeemable solely at the option of the issuer) permitted to be issued by an entity's charter and bylaws.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total number of nonredeemable preferred shares (or preferred stock redeemable solely at the option of the issuer) issued to shareholders (includes related preferred shares that were issued, repurchased, and remain in the treasury). May be all or portion of the number of preferred shares authorized. Excludes preferred shares that are classified as debt.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesIssued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Aggregate share number for all nonredeemable preferred stock (or preferred stock redeemable solely at the option of the issuer) held by stockholders. Does not include preferred shares that have been repurchased.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_PreferredStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_SeriesAPreferredStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_SeriesBPreferredStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_SeriesCPreferredStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_SeriesDPreferredStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_SeriesEPreferredStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: