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		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
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		156,755,000
Equity, value at Sep. 30, 2022	8,393,071	$ 1,568	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
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		156,755,000
Equity, value at Sep. 30, 2022	$ 8,393,071	$ 1,568	6,532,299	(359,536)	(2,722)	(15,991)	685,952	1,551,501
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		100,000
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, value	0	$ 1	3,713				(3,714)
Allocated net income for the period	138,269			70,290			8,642	59,337
Dividends declared	(516,247)			(461,209)			(55,038)
Shares issued pursuant to stock purchase plan, shares		19,000
Shares issued pursuant to stock purchase plan, value	1,156		1,156
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, shares		62,000
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, value	45,847		3,759				42,088
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	12,671							12,671
Non-cash contributions from noncontrolling interest in property partnerhips	17,519							17,519
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	(48,370)							(48,370)
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	13,886					12,461	1,425
Amortization of interest rate contracts	5,026					4,123	471	432
Reallocation of noncontrolling interest	$ 0		20,870				(20,870)
Equity, shares at Sep. 30, 2023	156,939,180	156,939,000
Equity, value at Sep. 30, 2023	$ 8,033,576	$ 1,569	6,568,645	(782,275)	(2,722)	2,866	656,587	1,588,906
Equity, shares at Jun. 30, 2023		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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, shares		79,000
Redemption of operating partnership units to common stock, value	0	$ 0	2,920				(2,920)
Allocated net income for the period	(103,543)			(111,925)			(12,527)	20,909
Dividends declared	(172,101)			(153,800)			(18,301)
Shares issued pursuant to stock purchase plan, shares		10,000
Shares issued pursuant to stock purchase plan, value	570		570
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, shares		(4,000)
Net activity from stock option and incentive plan, value	4,486		421				4,065
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	5,116							5,116
Non-cash contributions from noncontrolling interest in property partnerhips	17,519							17,519
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in property partnerships	(12,150)							(12,150)
Effective portion of interest rate contracts	5,459					4,896	563
Amortization of interest rate contracts	1,677					1,376	157	144
Reallocation of noncontrolling interest	$ 0		3,573				(3,573)
Equity, shares at Sep. 30, 2023	156,939,180	156,939,000
Equity, value at Sep. 30, 2023	$ 8,033,576	$ 1,569	$ 6,568,645	$ (782,275)	$ (2,722)	$ 2,866	$ 656,587	$ 1,588,906