Number of Apartment Homes Acquired

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Number of Apartment Homes Held for Sale

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of Apartment Homes Sold

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of Communities Held for Sale

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of Communities Held for Sale and Not Sold

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of Communities Sold

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775744&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109500613&loc=SL6036836-161870

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775744&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash outflow associated with the purchase of other real estate investments held by the entity for investment purposes not otherwise defined in the taxonomy.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireOtherRealEstate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of real estate investments, net of accumulated depreciation, which may include the following: (1) land available-for-sale; (2) land available-for-development; (3) investments in building and building improvements; (4) tenant allowances; (5) developments in-process; (6) rental properties; (7) other real estate investments; (8) real estate joint ventures; and (9) unconsolidated real estate and other joint ventures not separately presented.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119400593&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstateInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- 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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ Details

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

- Definition

Detail information of subsequent event by type. User is expected to use existing line items from elsewhere in the taxonomy as the primary line items for this disclosure, which is further associated with dimension and member elements pertaining to a subsequent event.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	srt_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=avb_PorticoatSilverSpringMetroMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SecuredDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=avb_NotesPayableMaturities2020Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=avb_NotesPayableMaturities2029Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Subsequent Events (Details)		1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Subsequent Events (Details)	Aug. 06, 2019 USD ($) community home	Jul. 31, 2019 USD ($) home	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($) community	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Payments to Acquire Other Real Estate			$ 152,260,000	$ 0
Number of Communities Held for Sale \| community			1
Real Estate Investments, Net			$ 18,009,444,000		$ 17,730,930,000
AVA Stamford [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Number of Apartment Homes Sold \| home		306
Proceeds from Sale of Real Estate		$ 105,000,000
Subsequent Event Dispositions [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Number of Apartment Homes Sold \| community	222
Number of Communities Held for Sale \| community	3
Number of Apartment Homes Held for Sale \| home	696
Real Estate Investments, Net	$ 84,340,000
Number of Communities Sold \| community	1
Number of Communities Held for Sale and Not Sold \| community	2
Archstone Lexington [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Proceeds from Sale of Real Estate	$ 45,100,000
Portico at Silver Spring Metro [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Number of Apartment Homes Acquired \| home		151
Payments to Acquire Other Real Estate		$ 43,450,000
Secured Debt [Member] \| Notes Payable Maturities 2020 [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Repayments of Secured Debt	21,700,000
Secured Debt [Member] \| Notes Payable Maturities 2029 [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	$ 30,250,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage	3.26%