Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Rental and other revenues		$ 163,736	$ 152,629	$ 482,182	$ 453,804
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses		59,758	57,383	174,549	169,048
Depreciation and amortization		54,652	48,287	156,200	146,895
Impairments of real estate assets		0	0	0	588
General and administrative		9,182	7,526	29,511	26,973
Total operating expenses		123,592	113,196	360,260	343,504
Interest expense:
Contractual		20,484	20,962	61,783	62,352
Amortization of deferred financing costs		873	819	2,501	2,270
Financing obligation		155	567	653	301
Total interest expense		21,512	22,348	64,937	64,923
Other income:
Interest and other income		1,038	1,054	3,475	3,863
Losses on debt extinguishment		0	(326)	(220)	(308)
Total other income		1,038	728	3,255	3,555
Income from continuing operations before disposition of investment properties and activity in unconsolidated affiliates		19,670	17,813	60,240	48,932
Gains on disposition of property		7,012	36,238	10,581	42,185
Gain on disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliate		4,155	0	4,155	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		780	248	4,367	886
Income from continuing operations		31,617	54,299	79,343	92,003
Discontinued operations:
Net gains on disposition of discontinued operations		0	0	0	384
Total discontinued operations		0	0	0	384
Net income		31,617	54,299	79,343	92,387
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership		(918)	(1,673)	(2,296)	(2,813)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		(324)	(291)	(948)	(1,152)
Dividends on Preferred Stock		(626)	(627)	(1,879)	(1,881)
Net income available for common stockholders		$ 29,749	$ 51,708	$ 74,220	$ 86,541
Earnings per Common Share – basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.31	$ 0.57	$ 0.79	$ 0.96
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.31	$ 0.57	$ 0.79	$ 0.96
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - basic (in shares)		94,693	90,668	93,996	90,299
Earnings per Common Share - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.31	$ 0.57	$ 0.79	$ 0.96
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.31	$ 0.57	$ 0.79	$ 0.96
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	[1],[2]	97,661	93,723	97,003	93,358
Dividends declared per Common Share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.425	$ 0.425	$ 1.275	$ 1.275
Net income available for common stockholders:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders		$ 29,749	$ 51,708	$ 74,220	$ 86,169
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders		0	0	0	372
Net income available for common stockholders		29,749	51,708	74,220	86,541
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Rental and other revenues		163,736	152,629	482,182	453,804
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses		59,758	57,383	174,549	169,015
Depreciation and amortization		54,652	48,287	156,200	146,895
Impairments of real estate assets		0	0	0	588
General and administrative		9,182	7,526	29,511	27,006
Total operating expenses		123,592	113,196	360,260	343,504
Interest expense:
Contractual		20,484	20,962	61,783	62,352
Amortization of deferred financing costs		873	819	2,501	2,270
Financing obligation		155	567	653	301
Total interest expense		21,512	22,348	64,937	64,923
Other income:
Interest and other income		1,038	1,054	3,475	3,863
Losses on debt extinguishment		0	(326)	(220)	(308)
Total other income		1,038	728	3,255	3,555
Income from continuing operations before disposition of investment properties and activity in unconsolidated affiliates		19,670	17,813	60,240	48,932
Gains on disposition of property		7,012	36,238	10,581	42,185
Gain on disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliate		4,155	0	4,155	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		780	248	4,367	886
Income from continuing operations		31,617	54,299	79,343	92,003
Discontinued operations:
Net gains on disposition of discontinued operations		0	0	0	384
Total discontinued operations		0	0	0	384
Net income		31,617	54,299	79,343	92,387
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		(324)	(291)	(948)	(1,152)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(626)	(627)	(1,879)	(1,881)
Net income available for common unitholders		$ 30,667	$ 53,381	$ 76,516	$ 89,354
Earnings per Common Unit - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.32	$ 0.57	$ 0.79	$ 0.96
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.32	$ 0.57	$ 0.79	$ 0.96
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - basic (in shares)		97,194	93,196	96,505	92,828
Earnings per Common Unit - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.32	$ 0.57	$ 0.79	$ 0.96
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.32	$ 0.57	$ 0.79	$ 0.96
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - diluted (in shares)	[3],[4]	97,252	93,314	96,594	92,949
Distributions declared per Common Unit (in dollars per unit)		$ 0.425	$ 0.425	$ 1.275	$ 1.275
Net income available for common unitholders:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders		$ 30,667	$ 53,381	$ 76,516	$ 88,970
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders		0	0	0	384
Net income available for common unitholders		$ 30,667	$ 53,381	$ 76,516	$ 89,354

[1] Includes all unvested restricted stock where dividends on such restricted stock are non-forfeitable.

[2] There were 0.2 million options outstanding during both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 that were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share because the impact of including such options would be anti-dilutive. There were no such options outstanding during both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014.

[3] Includes all unvested restricted stock where dividends on such restricted stock are non-forfeitable.

[4] There were 0.2 million options outstanding during both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 that were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per unit because the impact of including such options would be anti-dilutive. There were no such options outstanding during both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014.