Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 executives customers property acre sqft	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Description of Business [Abstract]
In-service office, industrial and retail properties (in units)	301
Square footage of commercial property (in sq feet)	29,687,000
Undeveloped land suitable for future development (in acres)	649.0
Undeveloped land considered core holdings (in acres)	566
Number of wholly owned office properties under development (in units)	1
Percentage of equity interest in joint ventures maximum	50.00%
Number of real estate properties not wholly owned (in units)	32
Number of rental residential properties under development not wholly owned (in units)	1
Area of undeveloped land not wholly owned (in acres)	11
Ownership interest in unconsolidated property directly owned by the Company	12.50%
Square footage of unconsolidated property directly owned by the Company (in sq feet)	261,000
Consolidated in-service office properties not wholly owned (in units)	5
Common Units of partnership owned (in shares)	79,900,000
Percentage of ownership of Common Units	95.60%	95.10%
Number of directors of the Company who are also limited partners	2
Common Units of partnership not owned by the Company (in shares)	3,700,000
Number of common units required to convert to one share of common stock (in shares)	1
Common Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Number of trading days preceeding Redemption Notice Date (in days)	10 days
Common units redeemed for a like number of common shares of stock (in shares)	63,366
Common Units issued to acquire real estate assets (in shares)	66,864
Real estate assets, depreciation expense	$ 128,971	$ 120,812	$ 117,639
Maturity of highly liquid investments (in months)	3 months
Percent of annual REIT taxable income required to pay to the Company's stockholders	90.00%
Customers with leases on wholly owned properties	1,711
Percent of annualized cash rental revenue derived from geographic locations	10.00%
Limit of consolidated revenue generated by any single customer	10.00%
Adjustment interval of variable debt interest rates, mimimum (in months)	1 month
Adjustment interval of variable debt interest rates, maximum (in months)	3 months
Building [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Average	40 years
Building Improvements [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Average	15 years
Furniture and Fixtures [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Average	5 years
Furniture and Fixtures [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Average	7 years
Leaseholds and Leasehold Improvements [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Average	3 years
Leaseholds and Leasehold Improvements [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Average	10 years
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
In-service office, industrial and retail properties (in units)	301
Square footage of commercial property (in sq feet)	29,687,000
Undeveloped land suitable for future development (in acres)	649.0
Undeveloped land considered core holdings (in acres)	566
Number of wholly owned office properties under development (in units)	1
Percentage of equity interest in joint ventures maximum	50.00%
Number of real estate properties not wholly owned (in units)	32
Number of rental residential properties under development not wholly owned (in units)	1
Area of undeveloped land not wholly owned (in acres)	11
Ownership interest in unconsolidated property directly owned by the Company	12.50%
Square footage of unconsolidated property directly owned by the Company (in sq feet)	261,000
Consolidated in-service office properties not wholly owned (in units)	5
Common Units of partnership owned (in shares)	79,900,000
Percentage of ownership of Common Units	95.60%	95.10%
Number of directors of the Company who are also limited partners	2
Common Units of partnership not owned by the Company (in shares)	3,700,000
Number of common units required to convert to one share of common stock (in shares)	1
Common Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01
Number of trading days preceeding Redemption Notice Date (in days)	10 days
Common units redeemed for a like number of common shares of stock (in shares)	63,366
Common Units issued to acquire real estate assets (in shares)	66,864
Real estate assets, depreciation expense	$ 129,000	$ 120,800	$ 117,600
Maturity of highly liquid investments (in months)	3 months
Percent of annual REIT taxable income required to pay to the Company's stockholders	90.00%
Customers with leases on wholly owned properties	1,711
Percent of annualized cash rental revenue derived from geographic locations	10.00%
Limit of consolidated revenue generated by any single customer	10.00%
Adjustment interval of variable debt interest rates, mimimum (in months)	1 month
Adjustment interval of variable debt interest rates, maximum (in months)	3 months
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Building [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Average	40 years
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Building Improvements [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Average	15 years
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Furniture and Fixtures [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Average	5 years
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Furniture and Fixtures [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Average	7 years
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Leaseholds and Leasehold Improvements [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Average	3 years
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Leaseholds and Leasehold Improvements [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life, Average	10 years