| **Income Taxes - Allocation of Tax Expense (Benefit) (Details) (USD $)In Thousands, unless otherwise specified** | 12 Months Ended                                                       |
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| **Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]**                                                                             |                                                                  |   |   |
| Income tax expense (benefit)                                                                                     | $ 115,507us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit                              | $ (409)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit | $ 387us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit |
| Income tax benefit                                                                                               | 127joe_DeferredTaxExpenseBenefitOnAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncome | 0joe_DeferredTaxExpenseBenefitOnAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncome | 0joe_DeferredTaxExpenseBenefitOnAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncome |
| Total income tax expense (benefit)                                                                               | $ 115,380us-gaap_IncomeTaxEffectsAllocatedDirectlyToEquityOther       | $ (409)us-gaap_IncomeTaxEffectsAllocatedDirectlyToEquityOther | $ 387us-gaap_IncomeTaxEffectsAllocatedDirectlyToEquityOther |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
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| - Definition
Deferred tax expense benefit on accumulated other comprehensive income
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**joe_DeferredTaxExpenseBenefitOnAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncome**Namespace Prefix:**joe_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
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| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_IncomeTaxDisclosureAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The tax effect of items occurring during the period that have been charged or credited directly to components of shareholders' equity and are not otherwise defined.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 11 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18498875&loc=d3e39076-109324
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_IncomeTaxEffectsAllocatedDirectlyToEquityOther**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.
+ 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)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 08 -Paragraph h -Article 4Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Income Tax Expense (or Benefit) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6515339Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (a),(b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32639-109319
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