Income Taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items]
Minimum dividend required to maintain REIT status (in dollars per share)	$ 1.26	$ 1.37	$ 0.99
Tax basis of assets	$ 4,300,000	$ 4,100,000
Tax basis of liabilities	2,300,000	2,300,000
Increase to tax expense due to Tax Cuts and Jobs Act		100
Income Tax Expense/(Benefit) [Abstract]
Current federal tax expense/(benefit)	133	(177)	$ (38)
Current state tax expense	112	105	89
Current tax expense/(benefit)	245	(72)	51
Deferred federal tax expense/(benefit)	(95)	223	(160)
Deferred state tax expense/(benefit)	(68)	(9)	87
Deferred tax expense/(benefit)	(163)	214	(73)
Total income tax expense/(benefit)	82	142	$ (22)
Net deferred tax liabilities	200	300
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items]
Tax basis of assets	4,200,000	4,100,000
Tax basis of liabilities	$ 2,300,000	$ 2,300,000