v3.19.1

Noncontrolling Interests - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) Entity agreement Property shares	Dec. 31, 2017 Property shares	Sep. 30, 2017 Property
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Number of third-party joint venture partners \| Entity	6
Number of properties	170
Number of presale agreements \| agreement	2
Number of properties, under development	5
AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P. \| Redeemable noncontrolling interests
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest, change in redemption Value \| $	$ 68.7
Common OP units
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Conversion of common units to common stock (in shares) \| shares	412,343	22,000
Three off-campus properties \| AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Number of third-party joint venture partners \| Entity	4
In-Process Development Properties
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Number of properties			3
Number of presale agreements \| agreement	2
Number of properties, under development	2
In-Process Development Properties \| Three off-campus properties
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Number of properties	10
Core Transaction
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Number of properties		2	2
Number of operating properties purchased through joint venture arrangement			2
Operating Partnership [Member] \| AMERICAN CAMPUS COMMUNITIES OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, L.P.
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Equity interests held by owners of common units and series A preferred units/ retained by seller (percent)	0.50%	0.80%

Number of entities that third parties held non controlling ownership.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	acc_NumberOfEntitiesThatThirdPartiesHeldNonControllingOwnership
Namespace Prefix:	acc_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of Presale Agreements

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	acc_NumberofPresaleAgreements
Namespace Prefix:	acc_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of Properties, Under Development

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	acc_NumberofPropertiesUnderDevelopment
Namespace Prefix:	acc_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of Real Estate Properties Through Joint Venture

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	acc_NumberofRealEstatePropertiesThroughJointVenture
Namespace Prefix:	acc_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Change in noncontrolling interest during the period as a result of a change in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 480
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 3A
-Subparagraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65877616&loc=SL6540498-122764

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 480
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 3A
-Subparagraph 16(c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65877616&loc=SL6540498-122764

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 480
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 3A
-Subparagraph 14
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65877616&loc=SL6540498-122764

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterestChangeInRedemptionValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterestLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The equity interest of noncontrolling shareholders, partners or other equity holders in consolidated entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByNoncontrollingOwners
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of shares issued during the period upon the conversion of units. An example of a convertible unit is an umbrella partnership real estate investment trust unit (UPREIT unit).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21475-112644

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesConversionOfUnits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=acc_AmericanCampusCommunitiesOperatingPartnershipLimitedPartnershipMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=acc_TemporaryEquityRedeemableNoncontrollingInterestsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=acc_CommonOPUnitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=acc_UniversityVillageatSweetHomeUniversityCentreandVillasatChestnutRidgeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealEstatePropertiesAxis=acc_InProcessDevelopmentPropertiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RealEstateAndAccumulatedDepreciationDescriptionOfPropertyAxis=acc_CoreTransactionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_OwnershipAxis=acc_OperatingPartnershipMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

American Campus Communities Operating Partnership LP 10-K