<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-08-016294
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20080301
<FILING-DATE>20080305
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080305
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Dunn Lili F
<CIK>0001319949
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-12672
<FILM-NUMBER>08669318
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>703-329-6300
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2900 EISENHOWER AVE., SUITE 300
<CITY>ALEXANDRIA
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>22314
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES INC
<CIK>0000915912
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6798
<IRS-NUMBER>770404318
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>MD
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2900 EISENHOWER AVENUE
<STREET2>SUITE 300
<CITY>ALEXANDRIA
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>22314
<PHONE>7033296300
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2900 EISENHOWER AVENUE
<STREET2>STE 300
<CITY>ALEXANDRIA
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>22314
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>AVALON BAY COMMUNITIES INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19980618
</FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>BAY APARTMENT COMMUNITIES INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19931208
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-03-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000915912</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AVB</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001319949</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Dunn Lili F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2900 EISENHOWER AVE., SUITE 300</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ALEXANDRIA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>VA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>22314</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-03-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>778</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>92.43</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>41071.29</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Reflects withholding of shares by the Company to cover tax withholding  obligations on the vesting of restricted stock under the Company's Stock Option and Incentive Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The amount of securities owned following the reported transaction reflects direct ownership of all shares of common stock, including restricted shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Edward M. Schulman, as attorney-in-fact under Power of Attorney dated March 1, 2005</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-03-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
