Name:	avb_SaleOfRealEstateGrossSalesPrice
Namespace Prefix:	avb_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sale of Communities Gross Sales Price

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	avb_SaleofCommunitiesGrossSalesPrice
Namespace Prefix:	avb_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOtherAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainsLossesOnSalesOfInvestmentRealEstate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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
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=98514028&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

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

- Definition

The cash outflow to repay long-term debt that is wholly or partially secured by collateral. Excludes repayments of tax exempt secured debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=avb_AvalonPinesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=avb_AVAUniversityDistrictMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=avb_AvalonDanburyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=avb_AvalonRunEastMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=avb_AvalonHuntingtonMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=avb_AvalonMilfordMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=avb_OtherRealEstateSalesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=avb_NewcastleLandMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=avb_TysonsWestLandMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

Real Estate Disposition Activities (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Real Estate Disposition Activities (Details) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) community land_parcel home	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) home	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) home
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Gain on sale of communities	$ 252,599	$ 374,623	$ 115,625
Number of Land Parcels Sold \| land_parcel	3
(Loss) gain on other real estate transactions	$ (10,907)	$ 10,224	$ 9,647
Avalon Pines [Member]
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Apartment homes \| home	450
Gross sales price	$ 140,000
Net cash proceeds	$ 138,689
AVA University District [Member]
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Apartment homes \| home	283
Gross sales price	$ 112,500
Net cash proceeds	$ 108,511
Avalon Danbury [Member]
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Apartment homes \| home	234
Gross sales price	$ 52,000
Net cash proceeds	$ 51,000
Avalon Run East [Member]
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Apartment homes \| home	312
Gross sales price	$ 87,500
Net cash proceeds	$ 85,033
Avalon Huntington [Member]
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Apartment homes \| home	99
Gross sales price	$ 33,000
Net cash proceeds	$ 32,173
Avalon Milford [Member]
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Apartment homes \| home	246
Gross sales price	$ 50,500
Net cash proceeds	49,161
Other Real Estate Sales [Member]
Summary of income from discontinued operations
(Loss) gain on other real estate transactions	1,682
Gross sales price	39,154
Net cash proceeds	$ 38,472
Newcastle Land [Member]
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Number of Land Parcels Sold \| land_parcel	2
Tysons West Land [Member]
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Number of Land Parcels Sold \| land_parcel	1
Wholly Owned Properties
Summary of income from discontinued operations
Number of apartment communities sold \| community	6
Sale of Communities Gross Sales Price	$ 475,500
Gain on sale of communities	$ 251,163
Apartment homes \| home	1,624	2,051	851
Repayments of secured mortgages	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Gross sales price	514,654	564,028	289,320
Net cash proceeds	$ 503,039	$ 532,717	$ 282,163