Consolidated Statements of Income (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
INTEREST INCOME:
Interest and fees on loans and leases	$ 164,702	$ 156,499	$ 149,603
Interest on securities:
Taxable	21,501	22,129	28,195
Nontaxable	13,295	10,698	13,935
Interest on federal funds sold	1	4	3
Interest on interest bearing deposits in other financial institutions	12	8	1
TOTAL INTEREST INCOME	199,511	189,338	191,737
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Interest on deposits	19,968	22,230	29,224
Interest on short-term borrowings	808	818	893
Interest on other borrowings (includes $2,069 of interest expense related to derivatives reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income for the year ended December 31, 2013)	14,907	16,134	16,226
TOTAL INTEREST EXPENSE	35,683	39,182	46,343
NET INTEREST INCOME	163,828	150,156	145,394
Provision for loan and lease losses	9,697	8,202	29,365
NET INTEREST INCOME AFTER PROVISION FOR LOAN AND LEASE LOSSES	154,131	141,954	116,029
NONINTEREST INCOME:
Service charges and fees	17,660	15,242	14,303
Loan servicing income	14,413	11,300	5,932
Trust fees	11,708	10,478	9,856
Brokerage and insurance commissions	4,561	3,702	3,511
Securities gains, net (includes $7,121 of net security gains reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income for the year ended December 31, 2013)	7,121	13,998	13,104
Gain on trading account securities	1,421	47	89
Impairment loss on securities	0	(981)	0
Gains on sale of loans held for sale	27,430	49,198	11,366
Valuation adjustment on mortgage servicing rights	496	(477)	(19)
Income on bank owned life insurance	1,555	1,442	1,349
Other noninterest income	3,253	4,713	86
TOTAL NONINTEREST INCOME	89,618	108,662	59,577
NONINTEREST EXPENSES:
Salaries and employee benefits	118,224	105,727	75,537
Occupancy	13,459	10,629	9,363
Furniture and equipment	8,040	6,326	5,636
Professional fees	17,532	15,338	12,567
FDIC insurance assessments	3,544	3,292	3,777
Advertising	5,294	5,294	4,292
Intangible assets amortization	1,063	562	572
Net loss on repossessed assets	7,244	9,969	9,807
Other noninterest expenses	22,161	26,244	15,745
TOTAL NONINTEREST EXPENSES	196,561	183,381	137,296
Income before income taxes	47,188	67,235	38,310
Income taxes (includes $1,884 of income tax expense reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income for the year ended December 31, 2013)	10,335	17,384	10,302
NET INCOME	36,853	49,851	28,008
Net (income) loss available to noncontrolling interest, net of tax	(64)	(59)	36
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO HEARTLAND	36,789	49,792	28,044
Preferred dividends and discount	(1,093)	(3,400)	(7,640)
NET INCOME AVAILABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	$ 35,696	$ 46,392	$ 20,404
EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE - BASIC (in dollars per share)	$ 2.08	$ 2.81	$ 1.24
EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE - DILUTED (in dollars per share)	$ 2.04	$ 2.77	$ 1.23
CASH DIVIDENDS DECLARED PER COMMON SHARE (in dollars per share)	$ 0.40	$ 0.50	$ 0.40