| **Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)**            | 12 Months Ended |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
||
| **Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]** |            |   |
| Expected amount to receive upon maturity of note after payment of note and any other liabilities | $ 20,000,000.0  |   |
| Retained interest investments                                                                    | 10,635,000      | $ 10,246,000 |
| Other than temporary impairment losses, investments                                              | 0               | 0 |
| Senior Notes held by special purpose entity                                                      | 176,310,000     | 176,094,000 |
| Assets, fair value, nonrecurring                                                                 | $ 0             | 0 |
| Minimum                                                                                          |            |   |
| **Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]** |            |   |
| Retained interest, effective interest rate                                                       | 3.70%           |   |
| Maximum                                                                                          |            |   |
| **Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]** |            |   |
| Retained interest, effective interest rate                                                       | 11.80%          |   |
| Special Purpose Entities                                                                         |            |   |
| **Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]** |            |   |
| Expected amount to receive upon maturity of note after payment of note and any other liabilities | $ 16,900,000    |   |
| Retained interest investments                                                                    | $ 10,600,000    | $ 10,200,000 |
| Promissory notes maturity period                                                                 | 15 years        |   |
| Special Purpose Entities | Minimum                                                               |            |   |
| **Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]** |            |   |
| Notes maturity year                                                                              | 2022            |   |
| Special Purpose Entities | Maximum                                                               |            |   |
| **Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]** |            |   |
| Notes maturity year                                                                              | 2024            |   |
| Short-term bond | Minimum                                                                        |            |   |
| **Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]** |            |   |
| Investment term                                                                                  | 0 years         |   |
| Short-term bond | Maximum                                                                        |            |   |
| **Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]** |            |   |
| Investment term                                                                                  | 3 years         |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Discount rate on retained interest.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**joe_DiscountRateOnRetainedInterest**Namespace Prefix:**joe_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Notes Maturity Year
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**joe_NotesMaturityYear**Namespace Prefix:**joe_**Data Type:**xbrli:gYearItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Promissory Note, Expected Net Interest Payment And Principal Amount
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**joe_PromissoryNoteExpectedNetInterestPaymentAndPrincipalAmount**Namespace Prefix:**joe_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Promissory Notes Maturity Period
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**joe_PromissoryNotesMaturityPeriod**Namespace Prefix:**joe_**Data Type:**xbrli:durationItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Retained Interest
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**joe_RetainedInterest**Namespace Prefix:**joe_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Senior Notes Held By Special Purpose Entity
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**joe_SeniorNotesHeldBySpecialPurposeEntity**Namespace Prefix:**joe_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
This element represents the aggregate of the assets reported on the balance sheet at period end measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis by the entity. This element is intended to be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosureNonrecurring**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringAndNonrecurringBasisLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Period the instrument, asset or liability is expected to be outstanding, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (bbb) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66048111&loc=d3e19207-110258
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_FairValueAssumptionsExpectedTerm**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:durationItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount by which the fair value of an investment is less than the amortized cost basis or carrying amount of that investment at the balance sheet date and the decline in fair value is deemed to be other than temporary, before considering whether or not such amount is recognized in earnings or other comprehensive income.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3602-108585Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 35 -Paragraph 34 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27723805&loc=d3e25351-111560
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                               |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                               |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                            |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**dei_LegalEntityAxis=joe_SpecialPurposeEntitiesMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                            |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis=us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |