Real Estate Disposition Activities (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015 community land_parcel	Mar. 31, 2014
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Gain on sale of discontinued operations	$ 0	$ 37,869
Gain on sale of communities	79,033us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfProperties	37,869us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfProperties
Number Of Communities Held For Sale	1avb_NumberOfCommunitiesHeldForSale
Number of Land Parcels Held For Sale	1avb_NumberofLandParcelsHeldForSale
Avalon on Stamford Harbor [Member]
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Apartment homes	323
Net proceeds	115,500
Gain on sale of communities	$ 70,936
Avalon on Stamford Harbor [Member]
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Number of Boat Slips in Marina Communities	74

Represents the number of apartment homes sold during the period.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	avb_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of boat slips in marina communities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	avb_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number Of Communities Held For Sale

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	avb_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of Land Parcels Held For Sale

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	avb_NumberofLandParcelsHeldForSale
Namespace Prefix:	avb_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of difference between the carrying amount and the sales price of real estate properties sold as part of discontinued operations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The difference between the carrying value and the sale price of real estate or properties that were intended to be sold or held for capital appreciation or rental income. This element refers to the gain (loss) included in earnings and not to the cash proceeds of the sale. This element is a noncash adjustment to net income when calculating net cash generated by operating activities using the indirect method.

+ 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

+ Details

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

- Details

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

- Definition

Cash received for the sale of real estate that is not part of an investing activity during the current period.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 12

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

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

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

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