CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Revenues:
Rental	$ 360,828	$ 335,819	$ 295,723
Total revenues	450,524	446,510	402,363
Operating Expenses:
Property operating costs	148,236	153,209	136,488
Real estate taxes and insurance	12,193	11,959	8,840
Depreciation and amortization	149,891	140,924	124,786
General and administrative	80,857	87,231	83,286
Transaction, integration and impairment costs	2,743	11,060	10,906
Restructuring	37,943
Total operating expenses	431,863	404,383	364,306
Operating income	18,661	42,127	38,057
Other income and expenses:
Interest income	150	67	3
Interest expense	(28,749)	(30,523)	(23,159)
Debt restructuring costs	(605)	(19,992)	(192)
Income (loss) before taxes	(10,543)	(8,321)	14,709
Tax benefit of taxable REIT subsidiaries	3,368	9,778	9,976
Net income (loss)	(7,175)	1,457	24,685
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	2,715	(175)	(3,160)
Net income (loss) attributable to QTS Realty Trust, Inc.	(4,460)	1,282	21,525
Preferred stock dividends	16,666
Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders	$ (21,126)	$ 1,282	$ 21,525
Net income (loss) per share attributable to common shares:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.44)	$ 0.01	$ 0.47
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.44)	$ 0.01	$ 0.46
Weighted Average Number Of Shares Outstanding [Abstract]
Basic (in shares)	50,432,590	48,380,964	46,205,937
Diluted (in shares)	50,432,590	55,855,683	53,962,234
Recoveries From Customers
Revenues:
Revenue	$ 45,386	$ 37,886	$ 29,271
Cloud and managed services
Revenues:
Revenue	35,712	65,466	68,488
Other
Revenues:
Revenue	8,598	7,339	8,881
Qualitytech, LP
Revenues:
Rental	360,828	335,819	295,723
Total revenues	450,524	446,510	402,363
Operating Expenses:
Property operating costs	148,236	153,209	136,488
Real estate taxes and insurance	12,193	11,959	8,840
Depreciation and amortization	149,891	140,924	124,786
General and administrative	80,857	87,231	83,286
Transaction, integration and impairment costs	2,743	11,060	10,906
Restructuring	37,943
Total operating expenses	431,863	404,383	364,306
Operating income	18,661	42,127	38,057
Other income and expenses:
Interest income	150	67	3
Interest expense	(28,749)	(30,523)	(23,159)
Debt restructuring costs	(605)	(19,992)	(192)
Income (loss) before taxes	(10,543)	(8,321)	14,709
Tax benefit of taxable REIT subsidiaries	3,368	9,778	9,976
Net income (loss)	(7,175)	1,457	24,685
Preferred stock dividends	16,666
Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders	(23,841)	1,457	24,685
Qualitytech, LP | Recoveries From Customers
Revenues:
Revenue	45,386	37,886	29,271
Qualitytech, LP | Cloud and managed services
Revenues:
Revenue	35,712	65,466	68,488
Qualitytech, LP | Other
Revenues:
Revenue	$ 8,598	$ 7,339	$ 8,881