Notes Receivable (Parenthetical) (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Various builder notes, non-interest bearing -- 5.0% at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, due October 2012 thru January 2013
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Notes receivable, effective interest rate	5.00%	5.00%
Various builder notes, non-interest bearing -- 5.0% at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, due October 2012 thru January 2013 \| Minimum
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Notes receivable, maturity date	2012-10	2012-10
Various builder notes, non-interest bearing -- 5.0% at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, due October 2012 thru January 2013 \| Maximum
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Notes receivable, maturity date	2013-01	2013-01
Pier Park Community Development District notes, non-interest bearing, due December 2024, net of unamortized discount of $0.1 million, effective rates 5.73% -- 8.0%
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Unamortized discount	0.1	0.1
Notes receivable, effective interest rate, minimum	5.73%	5.73%
Notes receivable, effective interest rate, maximum	8.00%	8.00%
Notes receivable, maturity date	2024-12	2024-12

Notes and other Financings Receivable Maturity Date Month and Year.

No definition available.

Name:	joe_DebtInstrumentsMaturityDateMonthAndYear
Namespace Prefix:	joe_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearMonthItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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

- Definition

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

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

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

When presenting a range of interest rates, the highest effective rate for funds borrowed under the debt agreement as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

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

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentageRateRangeMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

When presenting a range of interest rates, the lowest effective rate for funds borrowed under the debt agreement as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentageRateRangeMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of debt discount that was originally recognized at the issuance of the instrument that has yet to be amortized.

+ References

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

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 21

-Paragraph 16, 20

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1A

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28541-108399

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Staff Position (FSP)

-Number APB14-1

-Paragraph 31

-Subparagraph b

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584090&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

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