Organization, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Lease income	$ 568,285	$ 529,414	$ 1,128,191	$ 1,050,539
Total revenue	569,239	530,512	1,130,032	1,052,837
Management, development and other fees
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Management, development and other fees	954	1,098	1,841	2,298
Operating Segments \| Established Communities
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue	420,557	410,088	836,330	816,097
Operating Segments \| Other Stabilized Communities
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue	68,968	49,298	136,703	92,959
Non-allocated
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue	954	1,098	1,841	2,298
Continuing Operations
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Management, development and other fees	5,642	5,672	11,120	11,156
Lease income	556,819	509,702	1,103,671	1,008,483
Total revenue	562,461	515,374	1,114,791	1,019,639
Continuing Operations \| Management, development and other fees
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Management, development and other fees	954	1,098	1,841	2,298
Continuing Operations \| Rental and non-rental related income
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Management, development and other fees	4,688	4,574	9,279	8,858
Continuing Operations \| Operating Segments \| Established Communities
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Management, development and other fees	2,730	2,804	5,120	5,124
Lease income	417,827	407,284	831,210	810,973
Total revenue	420,557	410,088	836,330	816,097
Continuing Operations \| Operating Segments \| Other Stabilized Communities
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Management, development and other fees	1,437	1,440	3,233	3,088
Lease income	67,531	47,858	133,470	89,871
Total revenue	68,968	49,298	136,703	92,959
Continuing Operations \| Operating Segments \| Development/ Redevelopment Communities
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Management, development and other fees	521	330	926	646
Lease income	71,461	54,560	138,991	107,639
Total revenue	71,982	54,890	139,917	108,285
Continuing Operations \| Operating Segments \| Management, development and other fees \| Established Communities
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Management, development and other fees	0	0	0	0
Continuing Operations \| Operating Segments \| Management, development and other fees \| Other Stabilized Communities
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Management, development and other fees	0	0	0	0
Continuing Operations \| Operating Segments \| Management, development and other fees \| Development/ Redevelopment Communities
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Management, development and other fees	0	0	0	0
Continuing Operations \| Operating Segments \| Rental and non-rental related income \| Established Communities
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Management, development and other fees	2,730	2,804	5,120	5,124
Continuing Operations \| Operating Segments \| Rental and non-rental related income \| Other Stabilized Communities
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Management, development and other fees	1,437	1,440	3,233	3,088
Continuing Operations \| Operating Segments \| Rental and non-rental related income \| Development/ Redevelopment Communities
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Management, development and other fees	521	330	926	646
Continuing Operations \| Non-allocated
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Management, development and other fees	954	1,098	1,841	2,298
Lease income	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	954	1,098	1,841	2,298
Continuing Operations \| Non-allocated \| Management, development and other fees
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Management, development and other fees	954	1,098	1,841	2,298
Continuing Operations \| Non-allocated \| Rental and non-rental related income
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Management, development and other fees	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

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.

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The total amount of revenue recognized for the period from operating leases, including minimum lease revenue, contingent revenue, percentage revenue and sublease revenue.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77902458&loc=d3e39896-112707

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, excluding tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value added and excise.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130543-203045

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130539-203045

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130545-203045

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 22
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115929826&loc=d3e8736-108599

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115205541&loc=SL114868664-224227

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 32
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115929826&loc=d3e8933-108599

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 22
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115929826&loc=d3e8736-108599

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=avb_ManagementDevelopmentAndOtherMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=avb_EstablishedCommunitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=avb_OtherStabilizedCommunitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_CorporateNonSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis=us-gaap_SegmentContinuingOperationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=avb_RentalAndNonRentalMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=avb_DevelopmentRedevelopmentCommunitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: