Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Rental and other revenues	$ 702,737	$ 665,634	$ 604,671
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses	236,888	231,085	215,941
Depreciation and amortization	227,832	220,140	201,918
Impairments of real estate assets	1,445	0	0
General and administrative	39,648	38,153	37,642
Total operating expenses	505,813	489,378	455,501
Interest expense:
Contractual	65,939	73,142	82,245
Amortization of debt issuance costs	3,166	3,506	3,645
Financing obligation	0	0	162
Total interest expense	69,105	76,648	86,052
Other income:
Interest and other income	2,309	2,338	1,969
Losses on debt extinguishment	(26)	0	(243)
Total other income	2,283	2,338	1,726
Income from continuing operations before disposition of investment properties and activity in unconsolidated affiliates	130,102	101,946	64,844
Gains on disposition of property	54,157	14,807	11,444
Gain on disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	0	0	4,155
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	7,404	5,793	5,078
Income from continuing operations	191,663	122,546	85,521
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations	0	4,097	15,739
Net gains on disposition of discontinued operations	0	414,496	0
Total income from discontinued operations	0	418,593	15,739
Net income	191,663	541,139	101,260
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(5,059)	(15,596)	(2,918)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,239)	(1,253)	(1,264)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,492)	(2,501)	(2,506)
Net income available for common stockholders	$ 182,873	$ 521,789	$ 94,572
Earnings per Common Share - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.78	$ 1.17	$ 0.84
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	0.00	4.13	0.16
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.78	$ 5.30	$ 1.00
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - basic (in shares)	102,682	98,439	94,404
Earnings per Common Share - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.78	$ 1.17	$ 0.84
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	0.00	4.13	0.16
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.78	$ 5.30	$ 1.00
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	105,594	101,398	97,406
Net income available for common stockholders:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders	$ 182,873	$ 115,461	$ 79,308
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders	0	406,328	15,264
Net income available for common stockholders	182,873	521,789	94,572
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Rental and other revenues	702,737	665,634	604,671
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses	236,888	231,085	215,941
Depreciation and amortization	227,832	220,140	201,918
Impairments of real estate assets	1,445	0	0
General and administrative	39,648	38,153	37,642
Total operating expenses	505,813	489,378	455,501
Interest expense:
Contractual	65,939	73,142	82,245
Amortization of debt issuance costs	3,166	3,506	3,645
Financing obligation	0	0	162
Total interest expense	69,105	76,648	86,052
Other income:
Interest and other income	2,309	2,338	1,969
Losses on debt extinguishment	(26)	0	(243)
Total other income	2,283	2,338	1,726
Income from continuing operations before disposition of investment properties and activity in unconsolidated affiliates	130,102	101,946	64,844
Gains on disposition of property	54,157	14,807	11,444
Gain on disposition of investment in unconsolidated affiliate	0	0	4,155
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	7,404	5,793	5,078
Income from continuing operations	191,663	122,546	85,521
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations	0	4,097	15,739
Net gains on disposition of discontinued operations	0	414,496	0
Total income from discontinued operations	0	418,593	15,739
Net income	191,663	541,139	101,260
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,239)	(1,253)	(1,264)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(2,492)	(2,501)	(2,506)
Net income available for common unitholders	$ 187,932	$ 537,385	$ 97,490
Earnings per Common Unit - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.79	$ 1.18	$ 0.84
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	0.00	4.15	0.17
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.79	$ 5.33	$ 1.01
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - basic (in shares)	105,106	100,902	96,910
Earnings per Common Unit - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.79	$ 1.18	$ 0.84
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	0.00	4.14	0.17
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)	$ 1.79	$ 5.32	$ 1.01
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - diluted (in shares)	105,185	100,989	96,997
Net income available for common unitholders:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders	$ 187,932	$ 118,792	$ 81,751
Total income from discontinued operations	0	418,593	15,739
Net income available for common unitholders	$ 187,932	$ 537,385	$ 97,490