Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Limited Partner	Twinbrook Metro Station Limited Partner	Twinbrook Metro Station Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)	Ashbrook Marketplace	Dividend paid	Dividend declared	Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend paid	Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend declared	Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend paid	Total Saul Centers, Inc.	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Twinbrook Metro Station Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Dividend paid	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Dividend declared	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend paid	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend declared	Total Saul Centers, Inc. Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend paid	Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Partnership Units in Escrow	Partnership Units in Escrow Twinbrook Metro Station Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings Dividend paid	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings Dividend declared	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend paid	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend declared	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend paid	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Noncontrolling Interests	Noncontrolling Interests Limited Partner	Noncontrolling Interests Twinbrook Metro Station Limited Partner	Noncontrolling Interests Twinbrook Metro Station Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)	Noncontrolling Interests Ashbrook Marketplace	Noncontrolling Interests Dividend paid	Noncontrolling Interests Dividend declared	Noncontrolling Interests Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividend paid
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 427,533										$ 364,325							$ 185,000	$ 235	$ 420,625	$ 0		$ (241,535)						$ 0	$ 63,208
Issuance of common stock:
Shares issued pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan	11,500	$ 2,398									11,500								3	11,497											$ 2,398
Shares issued due to exercise of employee stock options and issuance of directors' deferred stock	4,487										4,487									4,487
Issuance of partnership units
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Acquisitions			$ 21,500	$ 79,300	$ 4,320							$ 79,300										$ 79,300										$ 21,500		$ 4,320
0 restricted units released from escrow pursuant to the Twinbrook Contribution Agreement				0								(39,650)										(39,650)											$ 39,650
Net income	61,649										48,389												48,389							13,260
Change in unrealized gain on cash flow hedge	0
Preferred stock distributions:
Preferred stock distributions							$ (1,650)	$ (3,445)	$ (1,149)	$ (4,950)				$ (1,650)	$ (3,445)	$ (1,149)	$ (4,950)								$ (1,650)	$ (3,445)	$ (1,149)	$ (4,950)
Common stock distributions						$ (52,139)							$ (38,525)											$ (38,525)											$ (13,614)
Distributions payable common stock and distributions payable partnership units							(18,867)							(13,583)											(13,583)											$ (5,284)
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2021	530,487										405,049							185,000	238	436,609	39,650		(256,448)						0	125,438
Issuance of common stock:
Shares issued pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan	6,979	1,322									6,979								2	6,977											1,322
Shares issued due to exercise of employee stock options and issuance of directors' deferred stock	2,715										2,715									2,715
Net income	65,392										50,194												50,194							15,198
Change in unrealized gain on cash flow hedge	3,962										2,852																		2,852	1,110
Preferred stock distributions:
Preferred stock distributions							(1,650)	(3,445)	(1,149)	(4,950)				(1,650)	(3,445)	(1,149)	(4,950)								(1,650)	(3,445)	(1,149)	(4,950)
Common stock distributions						(58,204)							(41,940)											(41,940)											(16,264)
Distributions payable common stock and distributions payable partnership units							(19,657)							(14,171)											(14,171)											(5,486)
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2022	521,802										400,484							185,000	240	446,301	39,650		(273,559)						2,852	121,318
Issuance of common stock:
Shares issued pursuant to dividend reinvestment plan	2,238	$ 1,505									2,238								1	2,237											$ 1,505
Shares issued due to exercise of employee stock options and issuance of directors' deferred stock	1,421										1,421									1,421
0 restricted units released from escrow pursuant to the Twinbrook Contribution Agreement				$ 0								$ (39,650)										$ (39,650)											$ 39,650
Net income	69,026										52,689												52,689							16,337
Change in unrealized gain on cash flow hedge	(1,220)										(838)																		(838)	(382)
Preferred stock distributions:
Preferred stock distributions							(1,650)	$ (3,445)	$ (1,149)	$ (4,950)				(1,650)	$ (3,445)	$ (1,149)	$ (4,950)								(1,650)	$ (3,445)	$ (1,149)	$ (4,950)									$ 0
Common stock distributions						$ (59,011)							$ (42,553)											$ (42,553)											$ (16,458)
Distributions payable common stock and distributions payable partnership units							$ (20,138)							$ (14,208)											$ (14,208)											$ (5,930)
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2023	$ 504,429										$ 348,389							$ 185,000	$ 241	$ 449,959	$ 0		$ (288,825)						$ 2,014	$ 156,040