Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Cash paid during the period for:
Interest, net of interest capitalized	$ 4,061	$ 2,413
Income taxes	27,227	41,519
Non-cash operating activities:
Real estate not owned (decrease)/increase	(4,999)	4,710
Real estate acquired through notes payable	$ 7,143	$ 1,043

Cash flow noncash operating activities disclosure.

No definition available.

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- Definition

This item represents the total net increase or decrease in consolidated inventory not owned related to land options.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mth_IncreaseDecreaseInLandUnderPurchaseOptionsRecorded
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This item represents the total net increase or decrease in real estate acquired through notes payable.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mth_IncreaseDecreaseinRealEstateAcquiredThroughNotesPayable
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- Definition

The amount of cash paid during the current period to foreign, federal, state, and local authorities as taxes on income.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4297-108586

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 25

-Subparagraph (f)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3536-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of cash paid for interest during the period net of cash paid for interest that is capitalized.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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