Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenues:
Total revenues	$ 1,143,378	$ 1,072,855	$ 960,399
Expenses:
General and administrative expense	43,206	36,575	34,732
Interest expense	127,114	122,900	112,620
Acquisition and other transaction costs	3,224	5,225	4,623
Depreciation and amortization	329,293	318,685	297,290
Hurricane-related charges, net	0	0	7,963
Other	6,733	7,265	5,005
Total expenses	1,030,332	978,128	887,019
Gain on sale of single-family properties and other, net	43,873	17,946	6,826
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	(659)	(1,447)	(6,555)
Remeasurement of participating preferred shares	0	1,212	2,841
Net income	156,260	112,438	76,492
Noncontrolling interest	15,221	4,165	(4,507)
Dividends on preferred shares/Preferred distributions	55,128	52,586	60,718
Redemption of participating preferred shares/units	0	32,215	42,416
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	$ 85,911	$ 23,472	$ (22,135)
Weighted-average common shares/units outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	299,415,397	293,640,500	264,254,718
Diluted (in shares)	299,918,966	294,268,330	264,254,718
Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders/unitholders per share/unit:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.29	$ 0.08	$ (0.08)
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.29	$ 0.08	$ (0.08)
Rents and other single-family property revenues
Revenues:
Rents and other single-family property revenues	$ 1,132,137	$ 1,066,675	$ 954,831
Other
Revenues:
Other	11,241	6,180	5,568
Property operating expenses
Expenses:
Property operating and management expenses	433,854	412,905	355,074
Property management expenses
Expenses:
Property operating and management expenses	86,908	74,573	69,712
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P.
Revenues:
Total revenues	1,143,378	1,072,855	960,399
Expenses:
General and administrative expense	43,206	36,575	34,732
Interest expense	127,114	122,900	112,620
Acquisition and other transaction costs	3,224	5,225	4,623
Depreciation and amortization	329,293	318,685	297,290
Hurricane-related charges, net	0	0	7,963
Other	6,733	7,265	5,005
Total expenses	1,030,332	978,128	887,019
Gain on sale of single-family properties and other, net	43,873	17,946	6,826
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	(659)	(1,447)	(6,555)
Remeasurement of participating preferred shares	0	1,212	2,841
Net income	156,260	112,438	76,492
Noncontrolling interest	0	(259)	141
Dividends on preferred shares/Preferred distributions	55,128	52,586	60,718
Redemption of participating preferred shares/units	0	32,215	42,416
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders/unitholders	$ 101,132	$ 27,896	$ (26,783)
Weighted-average common shares/units outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	352,460,401	348,990,561	319,753,206
Diluted (in shares)	352,963,970	349,618,391	319,753,206
Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders/unitholders per share/unit:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.29	$ 0.08	$ (0.08)
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.29	$ 0.08	$ (0.08)
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Rents and other single-family property revenues
Revenues:
Rents and other single-family property revenues	$ 1,132,137	$ 1,066,675	$ 954,831
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Other
Revenues:
Other	11,241	6,180	5,568
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Property operating expenses
Expenses:
Property operating and management expenses	433,854	412,905	355,074
American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. | Property management expenses
Expenses:
Property operating and management expenses	$ 86,908	$ 74,573	$ 69,712