Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	$ 489,894	$ 466,872
Buildings and tenant improvements	5,139,518	4,981,637
Development in-process	250,338	259,681
Land held for development	147,386	131,474
Total real estate assets	6,027,136	5,839,664
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,478,227)	(1,418,379)
Net real estate assets	4,548,909	4,421,285
Real estate and other assets, net, held for sale	0	11,360
Cash and cash equivalents	6,535	109,322
Restricted cash	51,898	79,922
Accounts receivable	15,927	27,488
Mortgages and notes receivable	1,264	1,341
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	267,603	259,381
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	714	27,104
Deferred leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $140,257 and $151,698, respectively	216,318	209,329
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated depreciation of $19,717 and $21,154, respectively	127,853	62,885
Total Assets	5,237,021	5,209,417
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable, net	2,475,902	2,470,021
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	265,296	268,727
Total Liabilities	2,741,198	2,738,748
Commitments and contingencies
Noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	128,180	112,499
Equity/Capital:
Preferred Stock, $.01 par value, 50,000,000 authorized shares; 8.625% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares (liquidation preference $1,000 per share), 28,821 and 28,826 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	28,821	28,826
Common Stock, $.01 par value, 200,000,000 authorized shares; 104,209,513 and 103,921,546 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	1,042	1,039
Additional paid-in capital	2,989,405	2,993,946
Distributions in excess of net income available for common stockholders	(672,239)	(686,225)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(1,225)	(1,462)
Total Stockholders’ Equity	2,345,804	2,336,124
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	21,839	22,046
Total Equity/Capital	2,367,643	2,358,170
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	5,237,021	5,209,417
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	489,894	466,872
Buildings and tenant improvements	5,139,518	4,981,637
Development in-process	250,338	259,681
Land held for development	147,386	131,474
Total real estate assets	6,027,136	5,839,664
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,478,227)	(1,418,379)
Net real estate assets	4,548,909	4,421,285
Real estate and other assets, net, held for sale	0	11,360
Cash and cash equivalents	6,535	109,322
Restricted cash	51,898	79,922
Accounts receivable	15,927	27,488
Mortgages and notes receivable	1,264	1,341
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	267,603	259,381
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	714	27,104
Deferred leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $140,257 and $151,698, respectively	216,318	209,329
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated depreciation of $19,717 and $21,154, respectively	127,853	62,885
Total Assets	5,237,021	5,209,417
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable, net	2,475,902	2,470,021
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	265,296	268,727
Total Liabilities	2,741,198	2,738,748
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units:
Common Units, 2,837,725 and 2,838,725 outstanding, respectively	128,180	112,499
Series A Preferred Units (liquidation preference $1,000 per unit), 28,821 and 28,826 units issued and outstanding, respectively	28,821	28,826
Total Redeemable Operating Partnership Units	157,001	141,325
Equity/Capital:
General partner Common Units, 1,066,384 and 1,063,515 outstanding, respectively	23,182	23,087
Limited partner Common Units, 102,734,320 and 102,449,222 outstanding, respectively	2,295,026	2,285,673
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(1,225)	(1,462)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	21,839	22,046
Total Equity/Capital	2,338,822	2,329,344
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	$ 5,237,021	$ 5,209,417