Consolidated Statements Of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common 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, 2021		156,545,000
Equity, value at Dec. 31, 2021	$ 8,033,228	$ 1,565	$ 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		152,000
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, value	0	$ 2	5,427				(5,429)
Allocated net income for the period	444,200			366,044			42,061	36,095
Dividends declared	(343,028)			(307,169)			(35,859)
Shares issued pursuant to stock purchase plan, shares		5,000
Shares issued pursuant to stock purchase plan, value	600		600
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, shares		24,000
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, value	36,946		4,287				32,659
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	849							849
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	(41,079)							(41,079)
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	7,600					6,831	769
Amortization of interest rate contracts	3,353					2,754	311	288
Reallocation of noncontrolling interest	0		16,953				(16,953)
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
Equity, shares at Mar. 31, 2022		156,712,000
Equity, value at Mar. 31, 2022	8,041,659	$ 1,567	6,509,663	(636,421)	(2,722)	(28,485)	649,602	1,548,455
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, shares		11,000
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, value	0	$ 0	401				(401)
Allocated net income for the period	267,243			222,997			25,700	18,546
Dividends declared	(171,531)			(153,592)			(17,939)
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, shares		3,000
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, value	18,025		4,420				13,605
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	(14,439)							(14,439)
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	35					31	4
Amortization of interest rate contracts	1,677					1,377	156	144
Reallocation of noncontrolling interest	0		10,513				(10,513)
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
Equity, shares at Dec. 31, 2022	156,757,867	156,758,000
Equity, value at Dec. 31, 2022	$ 8,363,819	$ 1,568	6,539,147	(391,356)	(2,722)	(13,718)	683,583	1,547,317
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, shares		21,000
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, value	0	$ 1	793				(794)
Allocated net income for the period	241,812			182,215			21,169	38,428
Dividends declared	(344,146)			(307,409)			(36,737)
Shares issued pursuant to stock purchase plan, shares		9,000
Shares issued pursuant to stock purchase plan, value	586		586
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, shares		66,000
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, value	41,361		3,338				38,023
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	7,555							7,555
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	(36,220)							(36,220)
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	8,427					7,565	862
Amortization of interest rate contracts	3,349					2,747	314	288
Reallocation of noncontrolling interest	$ 0		17,297				(17,297)
Equity, shares at Jun. 30, 2023	156,853,400	156,854,000
Equity, value at Jun. 30, 2023	$ 8,286,543	$ 1,569	6,561,161	(516,550)	(2,722)	(3,406)	689,123	1,557,368
Equity, shares at Mar. 31, 2023		156,830,000
Equity, value at Mar. 31, 2023	8,306,484	$ 1,568	6,549,314	(467,159)	(2,722)	(18,214)	691,627	1,552,070
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, shares		16,000
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, value	0	$ 1	598				(599)
Allocated net income for the period	136,184			104,325			12,091	19,768
Dividends declared	(172,092)			(153,716)			(18,376)
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, shares		8,000
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, value	13,942		(110)				14,052
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	(14,614)							(14,614)
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	14,965					13,435	1,530
Amortization of interest rate contracts	1,674					1,373	157	144
Reallocation of noncontrolling interest	$ 0		11,359				(11,359)
Equity, shares at Jun. 30, 2023	156,853,400	156,854,000
Equity, value at Jun. 30, 2023	$ 8,286,543	$ 1,569	$ 6,561,161	$ (516,550)	$ (2,722)	$ (3,406)	$ 689,123	$ 1,557,368