Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	$ 540,050	$ 548,720
Buildings and tenant improvements	5,960,895	5,909,754
Development in-process	8,918	46,735
Land held for development	227,058	231,218
Total real estate assets	6,736,921	6,736,427
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,743,390)	(1,609,502)
Net real estate assets	4,993,531	5,126,925
Cash and cash equivalents	25,123	21,357
Restricted cash	6,446	4,748
Accounts receivable	28,094	25,481
Mortgages and notes receivable	4,795	1,051
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	310,649	293,674
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	343,241	269,221
Deferred leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $175,697 and $163,751, respectively	225,924	252,828
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated depreciation of $22,142 and $21,660, respectively	65,125	68,091
Total Assets	6,002,928	6,063,376
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable, net	3,213,206	3,197,215
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	302,180	301,184
Total Liabilities	3,515,386	3,498,399
Commitments and contingencies
Noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	49,520	65,977
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), 28,811 and 28,821 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	28,811	28,821
Common Stock, $.01 par value, 200,000,000 authorized shares; 105,710,315 and 105,210,858 shares issued and outstanding, respectively	1,057	1,052
Additional paid-in capital	3,103,446	3,081,330
Distributions in excess of net income available for common stockholders	(698,020)	(633,227)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(1,997)	(1,211)
Total Stockholders’ Equity	2,433,297	2,476,765
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	4,725	22,235
Total Equity/Capital:	2,438,022	2,499,000
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	6,002,928	6,063,376
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Real estate assets, at cost:
Land	540,050	548,720
Buildings and tenant improvements	5,960,895	5,909,754
Development in-process	8,918	46,735
Land held for development	227,058	231,218
Total real estate assets	6,736,921	6,736,427
Less-accumulated depreciation	(1,743,390)	(1,609,502)
Net real estate assets	4,993,531	5,126,925
Cash and cash equivalents	25,123	21,357
Restricted cash	6,446	4,748
Accounts receivable	28,094	25,481
Mortgages and notes receivable	4,795	1,051
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	310,649	293,674
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	343,241	269,221
Deferred leasing costs, net of accumulated amortization of $175,697 and $163,751, respectively	225,924	252,828
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net of accumulated depreciation of $22,142 and $21,660, respectively	65,125	68,091
Total Assets	6,002,928	6,063,376
Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital:
Mortgages and notes payable, net	3,213,206	3,197,215
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	302,180	301,184
Total Liabilities	3,515,386	3,498,399
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units:
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units, Common Units, 2,156,808 and 2,358,009 outstanding, respectively	49,520	65,977
Series A Preferred Units (liquidation preference $1,000 per unit), 28,811 and 28,821 units issued and outstanding, respectively	28,811	28,821
Total Redeemable Operating Partnership Units	78,331	94,798
Equity/Capital:
General partner Common Units, 1,074,583 and 1,071,601 outstanding, respectively	24,064	24,492
Limited partner Common Units, 104,226,923 and 103,730,448 outstanding, respectively	2,382,419	2,424,663
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(1,997)	(1,211)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	4,725	22,235
Total Equity/Capital:	2,409,211	2,470,179
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity/Total Liabilities, Redeemable Operating Partnership Units and Capital	$ 6,002,928	$ 6,063,376