Consolidated Statements of Equity and Accumulated Earnings - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member]	Preferred Stock [Member] Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member] General Partner [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member] Limited Partner [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Accumulated Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Total Company Equity [Member]	Total Company Equity [Member] Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests - Consolidated Real Estate Entities [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests - Consolidated Real Estate Entities [Member] Post Apartment Homes, L.P. [Member]
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 1,119,620	$ 1,119,620	$ 9	$ 43,392	$ 545		$ 12,477	$ 1,075,524	$ 1,107,354	$ 27,266	$ (11,679)	$ (11,679)	$ (3,781)	$ 1,119,714	$ 1,119,714	$ (94)	$ (94)
Beginning Balance, Preferred shares at Dec. 31, 2012			868	868
Beginning Balance, Common shares at Dec. 31, 2012					54,470	54,613
Comprehensive income (loss)	118,901	118,901		$ 3,688			1,071	105,775		110,534	8,260	8,260		118,794	118,794	107	107
Employee stock purchase, stock option and other	5,549	5,549			$ 1		55	5,494	1,061	(1,542)			6,029	5,549	5,549
Employee stock purchase, stock option and other, shares					263	263
Conversion of redeemable common units for shares	354	354						354		(10)			364	354	354
Conversion of redeemable common units for shares, shares					8
Adjustment for ownership interest of redeemable common units	(192)	(192)						(192)	(192)					(192)	(192)
Stock-based compensation	3,638	3,638					36	3,602	3,638					3,638	3,638
Treasury stock acquisitions	(24,800)	(24,800)					(248)	(24,552)					(24,800)	(24,800)	(24,800)
Treasury stock acquisitions, shares					(550)	(550)
Dividends to preferred shareholders	(3,688)	(3,688)		(3,688)						(3,688)				(3,688)	(3,688)
Dividends to common shareholders ($1.24, $1.56 and $1.72 per share for the year 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively)	(67,433)	(67,433)					(676)	(66,757)		(67,433)				(67,433)	(67,433)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests - consolidated real estate entities	(229)	(229)														(229)	(229)
Adjustment to redemption value of redeemable common units	1,011	1,011						1,011		1,011				1,011	1,011
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	1,152,731	1,152,731	$ 9	$ 43,392	$ 546		12,715	1,100,259	1,111,861	66,138	(3,419)	(3,419)	(22,188)	1,152,947	1,152,947	(216)	(216)
Ending Balance, Preferred shares at Dec. 31, 2013			868	868
Ending Balance, Common shares at Dec. 31, 2013					54,191	54,326
Comprehensive income (loss)	237,418	237,418		$ 3,688			2,119	209,313		215,120	(256)	(256)		214,864	214,864	22,554	22,554
Employee stock purchase, stock option and other	3,394	3,394					34	3,360	(701)	(6,663)			10,758	3,394	3,394
Employee stock purchase, stock option and other, shares					304	304
Conversion of redeemable common units for shares	784	784						784	126				658	784	784
Conversion of redeemable common units for shares, shares					14
Adjustment for ownership interest of redeemable common units	(425)	(425)						(425)	(425)					(425)	(425)
Stock-based compensation	3,990	3,990					40	3,950	3,990					3,990	3,990
Dividends to preferred shareholders	(3,688)	(3,688)		(3,688)						(3,688)				(3,688)	(3,688)
Dividends to common shareholders ($1.24, $1.56 and $1.72 per share for the year 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively)	(84,901)	(84,901)					(851)	(84,050)		(84,901)				(84,901)	(84,901)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests - consolidated real estate entities	(22,338)	(22,338)														(22,338)	(22,338)
Adjustment to redemption value of redeemable common units	(1,005)	(1,005)						(1,005)		(1,005)				(1,005)	(1,005)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 1,285,960	1,285,960	$ 9	$ 43,392	$ 546		14,057	1,232,186	1,114,851	185,001	(3,675)	(3,675)	(10,772)	1,285,960	1,285,960
Ending Balance, Preferred shares at Dec. 31, 2014	868		868	868
Ending Balance, Common shares at Dec. 31, 2014	54,509				54,509	54,630
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ 80,942	80,942		$ 3,688			771	76,164		80,623	319	319		80,942	80,942
Employee stock purchase, stock option and other	(673)	(673)					(7)	(666)	(2,080)	(566)			1,973	(673)	(673)
Employee stock purchase, stock option and other, shares					85	85
Adjustment for ownership interest of redeemable common units	68	68						68	68					68	68
Stock-based compensation	4,788	4,788					48	4,740	4,788					4,788	4,788
Treasury stock acquisitions	(32,336)	(32,336)					(323)	(32,013)					(32,336)	(32,336)	(32,336)
Treasury stock acquisitions, shares					(582)	(582)
Dividends to preferred shareholders	(3,688)	(3,688)		(3,688)						(3,688)				(3,688)	(3,688)
Dividends to common shareholders ($1.24, $1.56 and $1.72 per share for the year 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively)	(93,438)	(93,438)					(936)	(92,502)		(93,438)				(93,438)	(93,438)
Adjustment to redemption value of redeemable common units	(141)	(141)						(141)		(141)				(141)	(141)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 1,243,027	1,243,027	$ 9	$ 43,392	$ 546		$ 13,610	$ 1,187,836	$ 1,117,627	$ 167,791	$ (3,356)	$ (3,356)	$ (41,135)	$ 1,241,482	$ 1,241,482	1,545	1,545
Ending Balance, Preferred shares at Dec. 31, 2015	868		868	868
Ending Balance, Common shares at Dec. 31, 2015	54,012				54,012	54,133
Capital contributions from noncontrolling interests - consolidated real estate entities	$ 1,545	$ 1,545														$ 1,545	$ 1,545