<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-08-048115
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20080818
<FILING-DATE>20080819
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080819
<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>Morris James Richard
<CIK>0001319904
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-12672
<FILM-NUMBER>081027129
</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>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-08-18</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001319904</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Morris James Richard</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>2008-08-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>681</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>102.014</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>16664.5117</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The price represents the weighted average price of the shares sold. The shares sold were within a range of $102.01 to $103. The reporting person will provide, upon request by the SEC staff, the issuer, or any security holder of the issuer, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price.</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>2008-08-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
