Condensed Consolidated Statement of Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Cumulative Effect, Period Of Adoption, Adjustment	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings Cumulative Effect, Period Of Adoption, Adjustment	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Noncontrolling Interest
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative effect upon adoption of ASU No. 2016-13	$ 6,403,504	$ (190)	$ 7	$ 7,121,927	$ (887,619)	$ (190)	$ (13,888)	$ 183,077
Balance at period beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019			66,092
Balance at period beginning at Dec. 31, 2019	6,403,504	$ (190)	$ 7	7,121,927	(887,619)	$ (190)	(13,888)	183,077
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	418,841				399,464			19,377
Cash flow hedge losses reclassified to earnings	3,282						3,171	111
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements	(8,003)						(7,732)	(271)
Change in fair value of marketable debt securities, net	(270)						(261)	(9)
Issuance of common stock under:
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net (in shares)			95
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net	9,201			9,201
Sale of common stock, net	(133)			(133)
Equity based compensation costs	6,933			6,677				256
Retirement of common stock, net (in shares)			(864)
Retirement of common stock, net	(196,404)			(196,404)
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest	4,169			4,542				(373)
Changes in noncontrolling interest from acquisition	1,349							1,349
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(16,012)							(16,012)
Redemptions of noncontrolling interest (in shares)			8
Redemptions	(1,703)			(1,005)				(698)
Common stock dividends	(271,683)				(271,683)
Balance at period end (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020			65,331
Balance at period end at Jun. 30, 2020	6,352,881		$ 7	6,944,805	(760,028)		(18,710)	186,807
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative effect upon adoption of ASU No. 2016-13	6,417,949		$ 7	6,959,523	(708,697)		(22,668)	189,784
Balance at period beginning (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020			65,412
Balance at period beginning at Mar. 31, 2020	6,417,949		$ 7	6,959,523	(708,697)		(22,668)	189,784
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	90,076				84,458			5,618
Cash flow hedge losses reclassified to earnings	3,282						3,171	111
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements	779						754	25
Change in fair value of marketable debt securities, net	35						33	2
Issuance of common stock under:
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net (in shares)			6
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net	536			536
Sale of common stock, net	(63)			(63)
Equity based compensation costs	5,235			5,058				177
Retirement of common stock, net (in shares)			(88)
Retirement of common stock, net	(20,093)			(20,093)
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest	(598)			(199)				(399)
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(8,133)							(8,133)
Redemptions of noncontrolling interest (in shares)			1
Redemptions	(335)			43				(378)
Common stock dividends	(135,789)				(135,789)
Balance at period end (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020			65,331
Balance at period end at Jun. 30, 2020	6,352,881		$ 7	6,944,805	(760,028)		(18,710)	186,807
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative effect upon adoption of ASU No. 2016-13	6,352,881		7	6,944,805	(760,028)		(18,710)	186,807
Cumulative effect upon adoption of ASU No. 2016-13	6,183,192		$ 6	6,876,326	(861,193)		(14,729)	182,782
Balance at period beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020			64,999
Balance at period beginning at Dec. 31, 2020	6,183,192		$ 6	6,876,326	(861,193)		(14,729)	182,782
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	246,564				233,290			13,274
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements	4,879						4,713	166
Change in fair value of marketable debt securities, net	257						248	9
Issuance of common stock under:
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net (in shares)			44
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net	(3,170)		$ 1	(3,171)
Sale of common stock, net	(84)			(84)
Equity based compensation costs	7,867			7,599				268
Retirement of common stock, net (in shares)			(40)
Retirement of common stock, net	(9,172)			(9,172)
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest	(6,595)			(6,752)				157
Contributions from noncontrolling interest	1,900							1,900
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(14,857)							(14,857)
Redemptions of noncontrolling interest (in shares)			1
Redemptions	(2,318)			(1,867)				(451)
Common stock dividends	(271,760)				(271,760)
Balance at period end (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2021			65,004
Balance at period end at Jun. 30, 2021	6,136,703		$ 7	6,862,879	(899,663)		(9,768)	183,248
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative effect upon adoption of ASU No. 2016-13	6,210,931		$ 6	6,864,185	(828,625)		(10,390)	185,755
Balance at period beginning (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2021			64,999
Balance at period beginning at Mar. 31, 2021	6,210,931		$ 6	6,864,185	(828,625)		(10,390)	185,755
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	69,615				64,846			4,769
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements	472						456	16
Change in fair value of marketable debt securities, net	172						166	6
Issuance of common stock under:
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net (in shares)			5
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net	574		$ 1	573
Sale of common stock, net	(84)			(84)
Equity based compensation costs	2,785			2,571				214
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest	(2,512)			(2,574)				62
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(7,303)							(7,303)
Redemptions of noncontrolling interest (in shares)			0
Redemptions	(2,063)			(1,792)				(271)
Common stock dividends	(135,884)				(135,884)
Balance at period end (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2021			65,004
Balance at period end at Jun. 30, 2021	6,136,703		$ 7	6,862,879	(899,663)		(9,768)	183,248
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative effect upon adoption of ASU No. 2016-13	$ 6,136,703		$ 7	$ 6,862,879	$ (899,663)		$ (9,768)	$ 183,248