Reclassification Adjustments Out of Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Net securities gains	$ (92)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfSecuritiesNet	$ (1,426)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfSecuritiesNet	$ (599)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfSecuritiesNet
Interest income	(251,878)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	(238,079)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	(204,203)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet
Salaries and employee benefits	119,667us-gaap_LaborAndRelatedExpense	113,580us-gaap_LaborAndRelatedExpense	104,815us-gaap_LaborAndRelatedExpense
Income tax expense	37,229us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	28,196us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	22,816us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net Income	75,074us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	61,747us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	54,558us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Income tax expense	200	565
Total reclassification during the period, net of tax	(267)	740
Accumulated Net Unrealized Investment Gain (Loss) [Member] \| Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Net Income	(313)	(861)
Gains on Available for Sale Securities [Member] \| Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Net securities gains	(92)	(1,426)
Amortization of Unrealized Gains and Losses Related to Securities Transfer [Member] \| Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Interest income	(421)	0
Accumulated Defined Benefit Plans Adjustment [Member] \| Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Income tax expense	29	1,189
Net Income	46	1,601
Amortization of Net Gains [Member] \| Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Salaries and employee benefits	94	2,972
Amortization of Prior Service Costs [Member] \| Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Salaries and employee benefits	$ (19)	$ (182)

The net gain (loss) realized from the sale, exchange, redemption, or retirement of securities, not separately or otherwise categorized as trading, available-for-sale, or held-to-maturity.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.13(h))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph h

-Article 9

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 3

-Article 7

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfSecuritiesNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 08

-Paragraph h

-Article 4

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Income Tax Expense (or Benefit)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6515339

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 9

-Subparagraph (a),(b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32639-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net amount of operating interest income (expense).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate amount of expenditures for salaries, wages, profit sharing and incentive compensation, and other employee benefits, including equity-based compensation, and pension and other postretirement benefit expense.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.4)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LaborAndRelatedExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The portion of profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, which is attributable to the parent.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 260

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Other Comprehensive Income

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6519514

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Net Income

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6518256

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.19)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.18)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.22)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 19

-Article 5

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 20

-Article 9

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReclassificationAdjustmentOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after tax of reclassification adjustments of other comprehensive income (loss).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReclassificationFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeCurrentPeriodNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReclassificationOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeAxis=us-gaap_ReclassificationOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=nbtb_AmortizationOfNetGainsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=nbtb_AmortizationOfPriorServiceCostsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=nbtb_AmortizationOfUnrealizedGainsAndLossesRelatedToSecuritiesTransferMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=nbtb_GainsOnAvailableForSaleSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_AccumulatedDefinedBenefitPlansAdjustmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: