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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington , D.C. 20549 FORM 10 - K ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Maryland ( State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization ) AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES , INC . ( Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter ) 4040 Wilson Blvd. , Suite 1000 Arlington , Virginia 22203 ( Address of principal executive offices , including zip code ) Title of each class Common Stock , par value $ 0.01 per share Large accelerated filer Non - accelerated filer For the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2020 Commission file number 1-12672 ( 703 ) 329-6300 ( Registrant's telephone number , including area code ) Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( b ) of the Act : Trading Symbol AVB Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( g ) of the Act : None Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well - known seasoned issuer , as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act . Yes ý No o Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15 ( d ) of the Act . Yes o No ý 77-0404318 ( I.R.S. Employer Identification No. ) Indicate by check mark whether the registrant ( 1 ) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 ( d ) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding twelve ( 12 ) months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports ) , and ( 2 ) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days . Yes ý No o Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S - T during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files ) . X Name of each exchange on which registered New York Stock Exchange Yes ý No o Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer , an accelerated filer , a non - accelerated filer , smaller reporting company , or an emerging growth company . See the definitions of " large accelerated filer , " " accelerated filer , " " smaller reporting company , " and " emerging growth company " in Rule 12b - 2 of the Exchange Act . ( Check one ) U Accelerated filer Smaller reporting company Emerging growth company 00 If an emerging growth company , indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13 ( a ) of the Exchange Act . O Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 ( b ) of the Sarbanes - Oxley Act ( 15 U.S.C. 7262 ( b ) ) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report . Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company ( as defined in Rule 12b - 2 of the Act ) . Yes □ No ý The aggregate market value of the registrant's Common Stock , par value $ .01 per share , held by nonaffiliates of the registrant , as of June 30 , 2020 was $ 21,698,072,550 . The number of shares of the registrant's Common Stock , par value $ .01 per share , outstanding as of January 29 , 2021 was 139,527,493 . Documents Incorporated by Reference Portions of AvalonBay Communities , Inc.'s Proxy Statement for the 2021 annual meeting of stockholders , a definitive copy of which will be filed with the SEC within 120 days after the year end of the year covered by this Form 10 - K , are incorporated by reference herein as portions of Part III of this Form 10 - K .