| **Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)**                                                                                                                  | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                            |
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| **Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]**                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Minimum future rent on non cancelable lease due in 2015                                                                                                                                        | $ 5,600,000us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableCurrent                                                                                                                   |   |   |
| Minimum future rent on non cancelable lease due in 2016                                                                                                                                        | 5,800,000us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableInTwoYears                                                                                                                  |   |   |
| Minimum future rent on non cancelable lease due in 2017                                                                                                                                        | 5,700,000us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableInThreeYears                                                                                                                |   |   |
| Minimum future rent on non cancelable lease due in 2018                                                                                                                                        | 5,600,000us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableInFourYears                                                                                                                 |   |   |
| Minimum future rent on non cancelable lease due in 2019                                                                                                                                        | 5,400,000us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableInFiveYears                                                                                                                 |   |   |
| Other than Temporary Impairment, Credit Losses Recognized in Earnings, Additions, No Previous Impairment                                                                                       | 1,295,000us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentCreditLossesRecognizedInEarningsAdditionsNoPreviousImpairment                                                                                 | 0us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentCreditLossesRecognizedInEarningsAdditionsNoPreviousImpairment | 0us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentCreditLossesRecognizedInEarningsAdditionsNoPreviousImpairment |
| Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments, Portion in Other Comprehensive Loss, before Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Available-for-sale Securities | 1,500,000us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsPortionInOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterestAvailableforsaleSecurities | 2,200,000us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsPortionInOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeTaxIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterestAvailableforsaleSecurities |   |
| Capitalized indirect costs incurred (less than for 2012)                                                                                                                                       | 600,000joe_RealEstateInventoryCapitalizedIndirectCostsIncurred                                                                                                                             | 700,000joe_RealEstateInventoryCapitalizedIndirectCostsIncurred | 100,000joe_RealEstateInventoryCapitalizedIndirectCostsIncurred |
| Timber holdings valuation sample                                                                                                                                                               | 20.00%joe_InventoryValuationSamplePercentageofHoldings                                                                                                                                     |   |   |
| Fair Value                                                                                                                                                                                     | 609,920,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities                                                                                                                                |   |   |
| Adjustments for New Accounting Pronouncement                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| **Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]**                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Reduction to Liability for Uncertain Tax Positions, Noncurrent                                                                                                                                 | 1,700,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUncertainTaxPositionsNoncurrent/ us-gaap_AdjustmentsForNewAccountingPronouncementsAxis= us-gaap_NewAccountingPronouncementMember                              |   |   |
| Securities of any one issuer (excluding the U.S. Government)                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| **Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]**                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Available For Sale Securities, Preferred Stock, One Issuer                                                                                                                                     | 23,700,000joe_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesPreferredStockOneIssuer/ invest_InvestmentIssuerAxis= joe_SingleIssuerExcludingUSGovernmentMember                                                  |   |   |
| U.S. treasury securities                                                                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| **Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]**                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Fair Value                                                                                                                                                                                     | 509,800,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis= us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember                                           |   |   |
| Corporate debt securities                                                                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| **Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]**                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Fair Value                                                                                                                                                                                     | $ 100,100,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis= us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember                                      | $ 22,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis= us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember |   |
| Minimum                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| **Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]**                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Estimated useful life (in years)                                                                                                                                                               | 3 years                                                                                                                                                                                    |   |   |
| Minimum | Real Estate                                                                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| **Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]**                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Estimated useful life (in years)                                                                                                                                                               | 5 years                                                                                                                                                                                    |   |   |
| Maximum                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| **Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]**                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Estimated useful life (in years)                                                                                                                                                               | 30 years                                                                                                                                                                                   |   |   |
| Maximum | Real Estate                                                                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| **Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]**                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |   |
| Estimated useful life (in years)                                                                                                                                                               | 40 years                                                                                                                                                                                   |   |   |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Available For Sale Securities, Preferred Stock, One Issuer
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No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Inventory, Valuation Sample, Percentage of Holdings
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Real Estate Inventory, Capitalized Indirect Costs Incurred
+ References
No definition available.
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|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of debt securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The noncurrent portion of the amount recognized for uncertain tax positions as of the balance sheet date.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Future rental payments receivable within one year of the balance sheet date under an operating lease.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Future rental payments receivable within the fifth year from the balance sheet date under an operating lease.
+ References
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| - Definition
Future rental payments receivable within the fourth year from the balance sheet date under an operating lease.
+ References
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|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Future rental payments receivable within the third year from the balance sheet date under an operating lease.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
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| - Definition
Future rental payments receivable within the second year from the balance sheet date under an operating lease.
+ References
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|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
This item represents an increase to the cumulative amount of credit losses recognized in earnings for an other than temporary impairment (OTTI) of a debt security held for which no such other than temporary impairment (OTTI) was previously recognized.
+ References
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|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount before tax of other than temporary impairment (OTTI) on investment in available-for-sale debt security, recognized in other comprehensive loss.
+ References
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Useful life of long lived, physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Examples include, but not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment.
+ References
No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                               |
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