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Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]      
Minimum future rent on non cancelable lease due in 2015 $ 5,600,000us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableCurrent    
Minimum future rent on non cancelable lease due in 2016 5,800,000us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableInTwoYears    
Minimum future rent on non cancelable lease due in 2017 5,700,000us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableInThreeYears    
Minimum future rent on non cancelable lease due in 2018 5,600,000us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableInFourYears    
Minimum future rent on non cancelable lease due in 2019 5,400,000us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableInFiveYears    
Other than Temporary Impairment, Credit Losses Recognized in Earnings, Additions, No Previous Impairment 1,295,000us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentCreditLossesRecognizedInEarningsAdditionsNoPreviousImpairment 0us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentCreditLossesRecognizedInEarningsAdditionsNoPreviousImpairment 0us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentCreditLossesRecognizedInEarningsAdditionsNoPreviousImpairment
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments, Portion in Other Comprehensive Loss, before Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Available-for-sale Securities 1,500,000us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsPortionInOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterestAvailableforsaleSecurities 2,200,000us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsPortionInOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterestAvailableforsaleSecurities  
Capitalized indirect costs incurred (less than for 2012) 600,000joe_RealEstateInventoryCapitalizedIndirectCostsIncurred 700,000joe_RealEstateInventoryCapitalizedIndirectCostsIncurred 100,000joe_RealEstateInventoryCapitalizedIndirectCostsIncurred
Timber holdings valuation sample 20.00%joe_InventoryValuationSamplePercentageofHoldings    
Fair Value 609,920,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities    
Adjustments for New Accounting Pronouncement      
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]      
Reduction to Liability for Uncertain Tax Positions, Noncurrent 1,700,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUncertainTaxPositionsNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_AdjustmentsForNewAccountingPronouncementsAxis
= us-gaap_NewAccountingPronouncementMember
   
Securities of any one issuer (excluding the U.S. Government)      
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]      
Available For Sale Securities, Preferred Stock, One Issuer 23,700,000joe_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesPreferredStockOneIssuer
/ invest_InvestmentIssuerAxis
= joe_SingleIssuerExcludingUSGovernmentMember
   
U.S. treasury securities      
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]      
Fair Value 509,800,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember
   
Corporate debt securities      
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]      
Fair Value $ 100,100,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
$ 22,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
 
Minimum      
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]      
Estimated useful life (in years) 3 years    
Minimum | Real Estate      
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]      
Estimated useful life (in years) 5 years    
Maximum      
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]      
Estimated useful life (in years) 30 years    
Maximum | Real Estate      
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]      
Estimated useful life (in years) 40 years