| **Impairments of Long-lived Assets - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)** | 1 Months Ended                                            | 12 Months Ended                   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
||
| **Asset Impairment Charges [Abstract]**                                        |                                                      |                              |   |   |
| Impairment charges                                                             |                                                      | $ 0us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges | $ 5,080,000us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges | $ 2,551,000us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges |
| Ceased covered airport parking lease term                                      | 7 years                                                   |                              |   |   |
| Remaining lease period of released land lease                                  | 28 years                                                  |                              |   |   |
| Future land lease payment ceased                                               | $ 4,200,000joe_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsCeased |                              |   |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Operating Leases Future Minimum Payments Ceased
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**joe_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsCeased**Namespace Prefix:**joe_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Operation of Facility Cease Period
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**joe_OperationOfFacilityCeasePeriod**Namespace Prefix:**joe_**Data Type:**xbrli:durationItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Remaining Lease Term
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**joe_RemainingLeaseTerm**Namespace Prefix:**joe_**Data Type:**xbrli:durationItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of write-down of assets recognized in the income statement. Includes, but is not limited to, losses from tangible assets, intangible assets and goodwill.
+ 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=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=8077374&loc=d3e2420-110228
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                  |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_AssetImpairmentChargesAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |