<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-08-033074
<TYPE>4/A
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20080221
<FILING-DATE>20080527
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080527
<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>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>MEYER GILBERT M
<CIK>0001219698
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4/A
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-12672
<FILM-NUMBER>08861015
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES INC
<STREET2>2900 EISENHOWER AVE.
<CITY>ALEXANDRIA
<STATE>VA
<ZIP>22314
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4a.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4/A SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-02-21</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2008-02-21</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001219698</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MEYER GILBERT M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2900 EISENHOWER AVE., SUITE 300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ALEXANDRIA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>VA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>22314</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-02-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>96.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1154744.428</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Form 4 originally filed in connection with this transaction incorrectly reported the amount of securities owned following the reported transaction as 1,106,565 as the result of an administrative error. The amount of securities owned following the reported transaction reflects direct ownership of all shares of common stock, including Deferred Units, which convert to common stock on a one for one basis when the reporting person ceases to be an employee or director of the issuer.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By Edward M. Schulman under Power of Attorney dated January 1, 2000</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-05-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
