Represents the number of apartment homes sold during the period.

No definition available.

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of owned communities (or where a direct or indirect interest is owned) that are under construction.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of Land Parcels 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 Sold

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of other assets.

+ 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=98514028&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net gain (loss) resulting from sales and other disposals of real estate owned for investment purposes.

+ References

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 210.9-04.14(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsLineItems
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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=98514028&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

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

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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=avb_DevelopmentCommunitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=avb_AvalonNewcastleCommonsIMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Real Estate Disposition Activities (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
Real Estate Disposition Activities (Details) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) community land_parcel	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) community land_parcel home	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Number of land parcels sold \| land_parcel			2
Number of owned communities under construction \| community	23		23
Gain on sale of other real estate	$ 0	$ 143	$ 366	$ 143
Gain on sale of communities	$ 44,067	$ 30,990	$ 132,016	$ 82,420
Number of land parcels held for sale \| land_parcel	1		1
Avalon Pines
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Proceeds from sale of real estate			$ 140,000
Number of apartment homes sold \| home			450
Gain on sale of communities			$ 87,949
Other Real Estate Sales
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Proceeds from sale of real estate			22,286
Gain on sale of other real estate			366
AVA University District
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Proceeds from sale of real estate			$ 112,500
Number of apartment homes sold \| home			283
Gain on sale of communities			$ 42,596
Development Communities \| Avalon Newcastle Commons I
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Number of owned communities under construction \| community	1		1