Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Rental and other revenues	$ 177,283	$ 166,860	$ 346,691	$ 331,719
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses	58,854	57,515	116,250	115,095
Depreciation and amortization	55,816	55,317	111,961	108,811
General and administrative	9,050	8,327	20,540	19,464
Total operating expenses	123,720	121,159	248,751	243,370
Interest expense:
Contractual	15,345	18,674	32,368	38,389
Amortization of debt issuance costs	809	811	1,649	1,801
Total interest expense	16,154	19,485	34,017	40,190
Other income:
Interest and other income	564	534	1,248	1,051
Gains on debt extinguishment	826	0	826	0
Total other income	1,390	534	2,074	1,051
Income from continuing operations before disposition of investment properties and activity in unconsolidated affiliates	38,799	26,750	65,997	49,210
Gains on disposition of property	0	5,861	5,332	10,258
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	755	917	1,710	2,202
Income from continuing operations	39,554	33,528	73,039	61,670
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations	0	0	0	4,097
Net gains on disposition of discontinued operations	0	0	0	414,496
Total income from discontinued operations	0	0	0	418,593
Net income	39,554	33,528	73,039	480,263
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(1,043)	(939)	(1,931)	(13,950)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(299)	(314)	(599)	(622)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(623)	(627)	(1,246)	(1,253)
Net income available for common stockholders	$ 37,589	$ 31,648	$ 69,263	$ 464,438
Earnings per Common Share – basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.37	$ 0.32	$ 0.68	$ 0.60
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	0.00	4.19
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.37	$ 0.32	$ 0.68	$ 4.79
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - basic (in shares)	102,475	97,648	102,109	97,010
Earnings per Common Share - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.37	$ 0.32	$ 0.68	$ 0.60
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	0.00	4.18
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.37	$ 0.32	$ 0.68	$ 4.78
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	105,386	100,628	105,026	99,992
Dividends declared per Common Share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.440	$ 0.425	$ 0.88	$ 0.850
Net income available for common stockholders:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders	$ 37,589	$ 31,648	$ 69,263	$ 58,110
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders	0	0	0	406,328
Net income available for common stockholders	37,589	31,648	69,263	464,438
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Rental and other revenues	177,283	166,860	346,691	331,719
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses	58,854	57,515	116,250	115,095
Depreciation and amortization	55,816	55,317	111,961	108,811
General and administrative	9,050	8,327	20,540	19,464
Total operating expenses	123,720	121,159	248,751	243,370
Interest expense:
Contractual	15,345	18,674	32,368	38,389
Amortization of debt issuance costs	809	811	1,649	1,801
Total interest expense	16,154	19,485	34,017	40,190
Other income:
Interest and other income	564	534	1,248	1,051
Gains on debt extinguishment	826	0	826	0
Total other income	1,390	534	2,074	1,051
Income from continuing operations before disposition of investment properties and activity in unconsolidated affiliates	38,799	26,750	65,997	49,210
Gains on disposition of property	0	5,861	5,332	10,258
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	755	917	1,710	2,202
Income from continuing operations	39,554	33,528	73,039	61,670
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations	0	0	0	4,097
Net gains on disposition of discontinued operations	0	0	0	414,496
Total income from discontinued operations	0	0	0	418,593
Net income	39,554	33,528	73,039	480,263
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(299)	(314)	(599)	(622)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(623)	(627)	(1,246)	(1,253)
Net income available for common unitholders	$ 38,632	$ 32,587	$ 71,194	$ 478,388
Earnings per Common Unit - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.37	$ 0.33	$ 0.68	$ 0.60
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	0.00	4.21
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.37	$ 0.33	$ 0.68	$ 4.81
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - basic (in shares)	104,900	100,129	104,536	99,496
Earnings per Common Unit - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.37	$ 0.33	$ 0.68	$ 0.60
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	0.00	4.20
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.37	$ 0.33	$ 0.68	$ 4.80
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - diluted (in shares)	104,977	100,219	104,617	99,583
Distributions declared per Common Unit (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.44	$ 0.425	$ 0.88	$ 0.850
Net income available for common unitholders:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders	$ 38,632	$ 32,587	$ 71,194	$ 59,795
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders	0	0	0	418,593
Net income available for common unitholders	$ 38,632	$ 32,587	$ 71,194	$ 478,388