Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Rental and other revenues		$ 166,860	$ 148,543	$ 331,719	$ 293,779
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses		57,515	52,370	115,095	104,884
Depreciation and amortization		55,317	47,928	108,811	94,795
General and administrative		8,327	8,665	19,464	19,908
Total operating expenses		121,159	108,963	243,370	219,587
Interest expense:
Contractual		18,674	20,857	38,389	41,299
Amortization of debt issuance costs		811	828	1,801	1,628
Financing obligation		0	162	0	162
Total interest expense		19,485	21,847	40,190	43,089
Other income:
Interest and other income		534	520	1,051	1,102
Losses on debt extinguishment		0	(220)	0	(220)
Total other income		534	300	1,051	882
Income from continuing operations before disposition of investment properties and activity in unconsolidated affiliates		26,750	18,033	49,210	31,985
Gains on disposition of property		5,861	2,412	10,258	3,569
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		917	1,776	2,202	3,587
Income from continuing operations		33,528	22,221	61,670	39,141
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations		0	4,670	4,097	8,585
Net gains on disposition of discontinued operations		0	0	414,496	0
Total income from discontinued operations		0	4,670	418,593	8,585
Net income		33,528	26,891	480,263	47,726
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership		(939)	(782)	(13,950)	(1,378)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		(314)	(328)	(622)	(624)
Dividends on Preferred Stock		(627)	(626)	(1,253)	(1,253)
Net income available for common stockholders		$ 31,648	$ 25,155	$ 464,438	$ 44,471
Earnings per Common Share – basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.32	$ 0.22	$ 0.60	$ 0.39
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		0.00	0.05	4.19	0.08
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.32	$ 0.27	$ 4.79	$ 0.47
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - basic (in shares)		97,648	94,055	97,010	93,641
Earnings per Common Share - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.32	$ 0.22	$ 0.60	$ 0.39
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		0.00	0.05	4.18	0.08
Net income available for common stockholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.32	$ 0.27	$ 4.78	$ 0.47
Weighted average Common Shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	[1]	100,628	97,049	99,992	96,666
Dividends declared per Common Share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.425	$ 0.425	$ 0.85	$ 0.85
Net income available for common stockholders:
Income from continuing operations available for common stockholders		$ 31,648	$ 20,626	$ 58,110	$ 36,147
Income from discontinued operations available for common stockholders		0	4,529	406,328	8,324
Net income available for common stockholders		31,648	25,155	464,438	44,471
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Rental and other revenues		166,860	148,543	331,719	293,779
Operating expenses:
Rental property and other expenses		57,515	52,370	115,095	104,884
Depreciation and amortization		55,317	47,928	108,811	94,795
General and administrative		8,327	8,665	19,464	19,908
Total operating expenses		121,159	108,963	243,370	219,587
Interest expense:
Contractual		18,674	20,857	38,389	41,299
Amortization of debt issuance costs		811	828	1,801	1,628
Financing obligation		0	162	0	162
Total interest expense		19,485	21,847	40,190	43,089
Other income:
Interest and other income		534	520	1,051	1,102
Losses on debt extinguishment		0	(220)	0	(220)
Total other income		534	300	1,051	882
Income from continuing operations before disposition of investment properties and activity in unconsolidated affiliates		26,750	18,033	49,210	31,985
Gains on disposition of property		5,861	2,412	10,258	3,569
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		917	1,776	2,202	3,587
Income from continuing operations		33,528	22,221	61,670	39,141
Discontinued operations:
Income from discontinued operations		0	4,670	4,097	8,585
Net gains on disposition of discontinued operations		0	0	414,496	0
Total income from discontinued operations		0	4,670	418,593	8,585
Net income		33,528	26,891	480,263	47,726
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		(314)	(328)	(622)	(624)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(627)	(626)	(1,253)	(1,253)
Net income available for common unitholders		$ 32,587	$ 25,937	$ 478,388	$ 45,849
Earnings per Common Unit - basic:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.33	$ 0.22	$ 0.60	$ 0.39
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		0.00	0.05	4.21	0.09
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.33	$ 0.27	$ 4.81	$ 0.48
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - basic (in shares)		100,129	96,556	99,496	96,153
Earnings per Common Unit - diluted:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.33	$ 0.22	$ 0.60	$ 0.39
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		0.00	0.05	4.20	0.09
Net income available for common unitholders (in dollars per share)		$ 0.33	$ 0.27	$ 4.80	$ 0.48
Weighted average Common Units outstanding - diluted (in shares)	[2]	100,219	96,640	99,583	96,257
Distributions declared per Common Unit (in dollars per unit)		$ 0.425	$ 0.425	$ 0.85	$ 0.85
Net income available for common unitholders:
Income from continuing operations available for common unitholders		$ 32,587	$ 21,267	$ 59,795	$ 37,264
Income from discontinued operations available for common unitholders		0	4,670	418,593	8,585
Net income available for common unitholders		$ 32,587	$ 25,937	$ 478,388	$ 45,849

[1] Includes all unvested restricted stock where dividends on such restricted stock are non-forfeitable.

[2] Includes all unvested restricted stock where dividends on such restricted stock are non-forfeitable.