|**Income Taxes (Tables)**                                                                        | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|**Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]**                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Summary of the provision for income tax expense (benefit)                                        | Income tax (expense) benefit for the years endedDecember 31, 2014,2013, and2012consist of the following:201420132012Current:Federal$69,245$349$34State135169118Total69,380518152Deferred:Federal35,314(366)196State10,813(561)39Total46,127(927)235Income tax expense (benefit)$115,507$(409)$387                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|                                                                                                
|                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|                                                                                                 | 2014                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Current:                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Federal                                                                                          | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|State                                                                                            | 135                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Total                                                                                            | 69,380                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Deferred:                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Federal                                                                                          | 35,314                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|State                                                                                            | 10,813                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Total                                                                                            | 46,127                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Income tax expense (benefit)                                                                     | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Summary of total income tax expense (benefit) allocated in the consolidated financial statements | Total income tax expense (benefit) for the years endedDecember 31, 2014,2013, and2012was allocated in the consolidated financial statements as follows:201420132012Income tax expense (benefit)$115,507$(409)$387Income tax recorded in Accumulated other comprehensive incomeIncome tax benefit127——Total income tax expense (benefit)$115,380$(409)$387                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|                                                                                                
|                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|                                                                                                 | 2014                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Income tax expense (benefit)                                                                     | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Income tax recorded in Accumulated other comprehensive income                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Income tax benefit                                                                               | 127                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Total income tax expense (benefit)                                                               | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Schedule of effective income tax rate reconciliation                                             | Income tax expense (benefit) attributable to income from operations differed from the amount computed by applying the statutory federal income tax rate of35%to pre-tax income as a result of the following:201420132012Tax at the statutory federal rate$182,700$1,603$2,240State income taxes (net of federal benefit)18,270160224Decrease in valuation allowance(86,882)(2,218)(2,870)Other1,41946793Total income tax expense (benefit)$115,507$(409)$387                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|                                                                                                
|                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|                                                                                                 | 2014                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Tax at the statutory federal rate                                                                | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|State income taxes (net of federal benefit)                                                      | 18,270                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Decrease in valuation allowance                                                                  | (86,882                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Other                                                                                            | 1,419                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Total income tax expense (benefit)                                                               | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Schedule of deferred tax assets and liabilities                                                  | The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities as ofDecember 31, 2014and2013are presented below:20142013Deferred tax assets:Federal net operating carryforwards$—$26,884State net operating loss carryforwards11,33620,759Impairment losses116,451151,050Prepaid income from land sales5,50710,210Other1,3984,697Total gross deferred tax assets134,692213,600Valuation allowance(6,176)(93,058)Total net deferred tax assets128,516120,542Deferred tax liabilities:Investment in real estate and property and equipment basis differences2,4841,726Deferred gain on land sales and involuntary conversions31,57431,385Installment sale126,22558,969Pension Plan assets transferred to the 401(k) Plan3,057—Prepaid pension asset—15,596Total gross deferred tax liabilities163,340107,676Net deferred tax (liability) asset$(34,824)$12,866
|                                                                                                
|                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|                                                                                                 | 2014                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Deferred tax assets:                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Federal net operating carryforwards                                                              | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|State net operating loss carryforwards                                                           | 11,336                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Impairment losses                                                                                | 116,451                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Prepaid income from land sales                                                                   | 5,507                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Other                                                                                            | 1,398                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Total gross deferred tax assets                                                                  | 134,692                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Valuation allowance                                                                              | (6,176                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Total net deferred tax assets                                                                    | 128,516                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Deferred tax liabilities:                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Investment in real estate and property and equipment basis differences                           | 2,484                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Deferred gain on land sales and involuntary conversions                                          | 31,574                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|Installment sale                                                                                 | 126,225                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Pension Plan assets transferred to the 401(k) Plan                                               | 3,057                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|Prepaid pension asset                                                                            | —                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Total gross deferred tax liabilities                                                             | 163,340                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Net deferred tax (liability) asset                                                               | $                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

X- DefinitionTax (Benefit) Recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.+ ReferencesNo definition available.+ Details**Name:**
                    joe_TaxBenefitRecordedInConsolidatedStatementsOfOperationsTableTextBox**Namespace Prefix:**
                    joe_**Data Type:**
                    nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**
                    na**Period Type:**
                    duration X- Details**Name:**
                    us-gaap_IncomeTaxDisclosureAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**
                    us-gaap_**Data Type:**
                    xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**
                    na**Period Type:**
                    duration X- DefinitionTabular disclosure of the components of income tax expense attributable to continuing operations for each year presented including, but not limited to: current tax expense (benefit), deferred tax expense (benefit), investment tax credits, government grants, the benefits of operating loss carryforwards, tax expense that results from allocating certain tax benefits either directly to contributed capital or to reduce goodwill or other noncurrent intangible assets of an acquired entity, adjustments of a deferred tax liability or asset for enacted changes in tax laws or rates or a change in the tax status of the entity, and adjustments of the beginning-of-the-year balances of a valuation allowance because of a change in circumstances that causes a change in judgment about the realizability of the related deferred tax asset in future years.+ ReferencesReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32639-109319+ Details**Name:**
                    us-gaap_ScheduleOfComponentsOfIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**
                    us-gaap_**Data Type:**
                    nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**
                    na**Period Type:**
                    duration X- DefinitionTabular disclosure of the components of net deferred tax asset or liability recognized in an entity's statement of financial position, including the following: the total of all deferred tax liabilities, the total of all deferred tax assets, the total valuation allowance recognized for deferred tax assets.+ ReferencesReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32537-109319+ Details**Name:**
                    us-gaap_ScheduleOfDeferredTaxAssetsAndLiabilitiesTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**
                    us-gaap_**Data Type:**
                    nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**
                    na**Period Type:**
                    duration X- DefinitionTabular disclosure of the reconciliation using percentage or dollar amounts of the reported amount of income tax expense attributable to continuing operations for the year to the amount of income tax expense that would result from applying domestic federal statutory tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations.+ ReferencesReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32687-109319+ Details**Name:**
                    us-gaap_ScheduleOfEffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**
                    us-gaap_**Data Type:**
                    nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**
                    na**Period Type:**
                    duration