Earnings Per Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Numerator:
Income from continuing operations	$ 15,609	[1]	$ 12,313	[1]	$ 11,377	[1]	$ 11,419	[1]	$ 11,806	[1]	$ 3,957	[1]	$ 12,572	[1]	$ 10,671	[1]	$ 50,718		$ 39,006		$ 64,092
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership from continuing operations																	(2,260)		(1,645)		(2,905)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates from continuing operations	(220)		(159)		(223)		(184)		(201)		(249)		(182)		(123)		(786)		(755)		(485)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(627)		(627)		(627)		(627)		(627)		(627)		(1,622)		(1,677)		(2,508)		(4,553)		(6,708)
Excess of Preferred Stock redemption/repurchase cost over carrying value									0		0		(1,895)		0		0		(1,895)		0
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders																	45,164		30,158		53,994
Income from discontinued operations	0	[1]	23,483	[1]	3,121	[1]	6,913	[1]	1,044	[1]	4,287	[1]	1,862	[1]	1,772	[1]	33,517		8,965		8,211
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership from discontinued operations																	(1,594)		(446)		(415)
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders																	31,923		8,519		7,796
Net income available for common stockholders	14,074		33,357		12,962		16,694		11,427		7,002		10,112		10,136		77,087		38,677		61,790
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Share - weighted average shares (in shares)																	75,811,000	[2],[3]	72,281,000	[2],[3]	71,578,000	[2],[3]
Earnings per Common Share - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.18		$ 0.15		$ 0.13		$ 0.14		$ 0.14		$ 0.04		$ 0.12		$ 0.12		$ 0.60		$ 0.42		$ 0.75
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00		$ 0.29		$ 0.04		$ 0.09		$ 0.02		$ 0.06		$ 0.02		$ 0.02		$ 0.42		$ 0.12		$ 0.11
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.18		$ 0.44		$ 0.17		$ 0.23		$ 0.16		$ 0.10		$ 0.14		$ 0.14		$ 1.02		$ 0.54		$ 0.86
Numerator:
Income from continuing operations	15,609	[1]	12,313	[1]	11,377	[1]	11,419	[1]	11,806	[1]	3,957	[1]	12,572	[1]	10,671	[1]	50,718		39,006		64,092
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates from continuing operations	(220)		(159)		(223)		(184)		(201)		(249)		(182)		(123)		(786)		(755)		(485)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(627)		(627)		(627)		(627)		(627)		(627)		(1,622)		(1,677)		(2,508)		(4,553)		(6,708)
Excess of Preferred Stock redemption/repurchase cost over carrying value									0		0		(1,895)		0		0		(1,895)		0
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders before net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership																	47,424		31,803		56,899
Income from discontinued operations	0	[1]	23,483	[1]	3,121	[1]	6,913	[1]	1,044	[1]	4,287	[1]	1,862	[1]	1,772	[1]	33,517		8,965		8,211
Net income available for common stockholders before net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership																	80,941		40,768		65,110
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Share - weighted average shares (in shares)																	75,811,000	[2],[3]	72,281,000	[2],[3]	71,578,000	[2],[3]
Stock options using the treasury method																	122,000		136,000		198,000
Noncontrolling interests Common Units																	3,745,000		3,772,000		3,802,000
Denominator for diluted earnings per Common Share - adjusted weighted average shares and assumed conversions (in shares) (1)																	79,678,000	[3]	76,189,000	[3]	75,578,000	[3]
Earnings per Common Share - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.18		$ 0.14		$ 0.13		$ 0.14		$ 0.14		$ 0.04		$ 0.12		$ 0.12		$ 0.60		$ 0.42		$ 0.75
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00		$ 0.29		$ 0.04		$ 0.09		$ 0.02		$ 0.06		$ 0.02		$ 0.02		$ 0.42		$ 0.12		$ 0.11
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.18		$ 0.43		$ 0.17		$ 0.23		$ 0.16		$ 0.10		$ 0.14		$ 0.14		$ 1.02		$ 0.54		$ 0.86
Earnings per Common Unit - diluted:
Number of anti-dilutive options and warrants not included in earnings per share (in dollars per share)																	500,000		400,000		700,000
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Numerator:
Income from continuing operations	15,660		12,317		11,380		11,421		11,855		3,957		12,576		10,679		50,778		39,067		64,065
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates from continuing operations	(220)		(159)		(223)		(184)		201		249		182		123		(786)		(755)		(485)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(627)		(627)		(627)		(627)		627		627		1,622		1,677		(2,508)		(4,553)		(6,708)
Excess of Preferred Unit redemption/repurchase cost over carrying value									0		0		1,895		0		0		(1,895)		0
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders																	47,484		31,864		56,872
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders	0		23,483		3,121		6,913		1,044		4,287		1,862		1,772		33,517		8,965		8,211
Net income available for common unitholders	14,813		35,014		13,651		17,523		12,071		7,368		10,739		10,651		81,001		40,829		65,083
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Unit - weighted average units (in shares)																	79,147,000		75,644,000		74,971,000
Earnings per Common Unit - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.18		$ 0.15		$ 0.14		$ 0.14		$ 0.15		$ 0.04		$ 0.12		$ 0.12		$ 0.60		$ 0.42		$ 0.76
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00		$ 0.29		$ 0.04		$ 0.09		$ 0.01		$ 0.06		$ 0.02		$ 0.02		$ 0.42		$ 0.12		$ 0.11
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.18		$ 0.44		$ 0.18		$ 0.23		$ 0.16		$ 0.10		$ 0.14		$ 0.14		$ 1.02		$ 0.54		$ 0.87
Numerator:
Income from continuing operations	15,660		12,317		11,380		11,421		11,855		3,957		12,576		10,679		50,778		39,067		64,065
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates from continuing operations	(220)		(159)		(223)		(184)		201		249		182		123		(786)		(755)		(485)
Preferred Unit Distributions, Income Statement Impact	627		627		627		627		(627)		(627)		(1,622)		(1,677)		2,508		4,553		6,708
Excess of Preferred Unit redemption/repurchase cost over carrying value									0		0		1,895		0		0		(1,895)		0
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders																	47,484		31,864		56,872
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders	0		23,483		3,121		6,913		1,044		4,287		1,862		1,772		33,517		8,965		8,211
Net income available for common unitholders	$ 14,813		$ 35,014		$ 13,651		$ 17,523		$ 12,071		$ 7,368		$ 10,739		$ 10,651		$ 81,001		$ 40,829		$ 65,083
Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per Common Unit - weighted average units (in shares)																	79,147,000		75,644,000		74,971,000
Stock options using the treasury method																	122,000		136,000		198,000
Denominator for diluted earnings per Common Unit - adjusted weighted average units and assumed conversions (in shares)																	79,269,000		75,780,000		75,169,000
Earnings per Common Unit - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	0.18		0.15		0.13		0.14		0.15		0.04		0.12		0.12		0.60		0.42		0.76
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	0.00		0.29		0.04		0.09		0.01		0.06		0.02		0.02		0.42		0.12		0.11
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	0.18		0.44		0.17		0.23		0.16		0.10		0.14		0.14		1.02		0.54		0.87
Number of anti-dilutive options and warrants not included in earnings per share (in dollars per share)																	500,000		400,000		700,000

[1] The amounts presented may not equal to the amounts previously reported in the most recent Form 10-Qs or prior 10-K for each period as a result of discontinued operations.

[2] Includes all unvested restricted stock since dividends on such restricted stock are non-forfeitable.

[3] There were 0.5 million, 0.4 million and 0.7 million options outstanding during the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively, that were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share because the impact of including such options would be anti-dilutive.