Segment Information - Information by Business Segment (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015 Segment	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of reportable operating segments	5us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Operating revenues	$ 17,091us-gaap_Revenues	$ 594,086us-gaap_Revenues
(Loss) income before equity in loss from unconsolidated affiliates and income taxes:	(2,789)	509,904
Total assets	1,305,492us-gaap_Assets		1,303,135us-gaap_Assets
Residential real estate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	5,411	5,718
(Loss) income before equity in loss from unconsolidated affiliates and income taxes:	382	243
Total assets	133,013		135,317
Commercial real estate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	0	2,285
(Loss) income before equity in loss from unconsolidated affiliates and income taxes:	(604)	800
Total assets	63,056		62,931
Resorts and leisure
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	7,803	6,997
(Loss) income before equity in loss from unconsolidated affiliates and income taxes:	(2,931)	(1,754)
Total assets	77,176		79,021
Leasing operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	2,045	1,189
(Loss) income before equity in loss from unconsolidated affiliates and income taxes:	201	224
Total assets	76,599		74,800
Forestry
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	1,806	577,873
(Loss) income before equity in loss from unconsolidated affiliates and income taxes:	1,637	514,099
Total assets	17,272		20,521
Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenues	26	24
(Loss) income before equity in loss from unconsolidated affiliates and income taxes:	(1,474)	(3,708)
Total assets	$ 938,376		$ 930,545

Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all assets that are recognized. Assets are probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.18)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 12

-Article 7

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 18

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Assets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Revenues
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=joe_ForestryMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=joe_LeasingOperationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=joe_OtherRealEstateSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=joe_ResortsLeisureAndOperationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=us-gaap_CommercialRealEstateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=us-gaap_ResidentialRealEstateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: