Consolidated Statements Of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-In Capital [Member]	Dividends In Excess Of Earnings [Member]	Treasury Stock, at cost [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member]	Noncontrolling interest - property partnerships [Member]
Equity, shares at Dec. 31, 2020		155,719,000
Equity, value at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 8,339,612	$ 1,557	$ 200,000	$ 6,356,791	$ (509,653)	$ (2,722)	$ (49,890)	$ 616,596	$ 1,726,933
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, shares		227,000
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, value	0	$ 2		8,031				(8,033)
Allocated net income for the period	408,647				320,652			35,393	52,602
Dividends declared	(513,351)				(461,608)			(51,743)
Shares issued pursuant to stock purchase plan, shares		9,000
Shares issued pursuant to stock purchase plan, value	1,004			1,004
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, shares		251,000
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, value	60,228	$ 3		20,893				39,332
Preferred Stock, Redeemed	(193,623)		(200,000)	6,377
Preferred Stock Redemption Charge	(6,412)				(6,412)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	13,738								13,738
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	(65,604)								(65,604)
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	5,482						4,943	539
Amortization of interest rate contracts	5,028						4,144	452	432
Reallocation of noncontrolling interest	$ 0			22,706				(22,706)
Equity, shares at Sep. 30, 2021	156,206,000	156,206,000
Equity, value at Sep. 30, 2021	$ 8,054,749	$ 1,562	0	6,415,802	(657,021)	(2,722)	(40,803)	609,830	1,728,101
Equity, shares at Jun. 30, 2021		156,136,000
Equity, value at Jun. 30, 2021	8,089,993	$ 1,561		6,405,916	(612,247)	(2,722)	(43,166)	615,308	1,725,343
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, shares		50,000
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, value	0	$ 1		1,747				(1,748)
Allocated net income for the period	139,250				108,308			11,971	18,971
Dividends declared	(170,285)				(153,082)			(17,203)
Shares issued pursuant to stock purchase plan, shares		4,000
Shares issued pursuant to stock purchase plan, value	520			520
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, shares		16,000
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, value	8,864	$ 0		1,185				7,679
Preferred Stock Redemption Charge	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	11,318								11,318
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	(27,675)								(27,675)
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	1,088						981	107
Amortization of interest rate contracts	1,676						1,382	150	144
Reallocation of noncontrolling interest	$ 0			6,434				(6,434)
Equity, shares at Sep. 30, 2021	156,206,000	156,206,000
Equity, value at Sep. 30, 2021	$ 8,054,749	$ 1,562	0	6,415,802	(657,021)	(2,722)	(40,803)	609,830	1,728,101
Equity, shares at Dec. 31, 2021	156,544,849	156,545,000
Equity, value at Dec. 31, 2021	$ 8,033,228	$ 1,565	0	6,497,730	(625,891)	(2,722)	(36,662)	642,655	1,556,553
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, shares		178,000
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, value	0	$ 3		6,385				(6,388)
Allocated net income for the period	864,861				727,144			82,821	54,896
Dividends declared	(514,578)				(460,789)			(53,789)
Shares issued pursuant to stock purchase plan, shares		10,000
Shares issued pursuant to stock purchase plan, value	1,036			1,036
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, shares		22,000
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, value	45,474			5,935				39,539
Preferred Stock Redemption Charge	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	849								849
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	(61,229)								(61,229)
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	18,400						16,540	1,860
Amortization of interest rate contracts	5,030						4,131	467	432
Reallocation of noncontrolling interest	$ 0			21,213				(21,213)
Equity, shares at Sep. 30, 2022	156,754,712	156,755,000
Equity, value at Sep. 30, 2022	$ 8,393,071	$ 1,568	0	6,532,299	(359,536)	(2,722)	(15,991)	685,952	1,551,501
Equity, shares at Jun. 30, 2022		156,726,000
Equity, value at Jun. 30, 2022	8,142,669	$ 1,567		6,524,997	(567,016)	(2,722)	(27,077)	660,214	1,552,706
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, shares		26,000
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, value	0	$ 1		958				(959)
Allocated net income for the period	420,661				361,100			40,760	18,801
Dividends declared	(171,550)				(153,620)			(17,930)
Shares issued pursuant to stock purchase plan, shares		5,000
Shares issued pursuant to stock purchase plan, value	436			436
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, shares		(2,000)
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, value	8,528			1,648				6,880
Preferred Stock Redemption Charge	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	0								0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	(20,150)								(20,150)
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	10,800						9,709	1,091
Amortization of interest rate contracts	1,677						1,377	156	144
Reallocation of noncontrolling interest	$ 0			4,260				(4,260)
Equity, shares at Sep. 30, 2022	156,754,712	156,755,000
Equity, value at Sep. 30, 2022	$ 8,393,071	$ 1,568	$ 0	$ 6,532,299	$ (359,536)	$ (2,722)	$ (15,991)	$ 685,952	$ 1,551,501