Florida
Buying Land in St. Johns County, Florida
St. Johns County holds the oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement in the continental United States -- St. Augustine, founded in 1565 -- alongside some of the fastest residential growth Florida has seen in the past decade, running from master-planned communities near the coast to a quieter agricultural west around Hastings.
The nation's oldest city, and what that means for land near it
St. Augustine, St. Johns County's seat, was founded by the Spanish in 1565, making it the oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement in the continental United States -- a genuinely rare distinction that shapes real estate in and around its historic core. The downtown historic district carries local historic-preservation review layered on top of ordinary zoning, meaning exterior alterations, new construction, and even some site work within the district can require review by a historic preservation board in addition to standard permitting.
For a buyer, that means a parcel's location relative to the historic district boundary matters a great deal -- land just outside it can be developed under ordinary zoning rules, while land inside it carries an additional, genuinely distinct layer of review worth understanding before finalizing any construction plans.
Rapid growth: Nocatee, World Golf Village, and a shrinking supply of undeveloped land
Beyond its historic core, St. Johns County has been one of the fastest-growing counties in Florida over the past decade, driven substantially by large master-planned communities. Nocatee, one of the largest such developments in the state, straddles the county line between St. Johns and Duval counties and has added a substantial number of new homes over its build-out. World Golf Village, near the county's northern edge, combines golf, resort, and residential development anchored by the World Golf Hall of Fame.
That sustained growth has meaningfully reduced the supply of undeveloped land closer to the coast and the US-1 corridor, and it has pushed land values up accordingly. Anyone evaluating land in this part of the county should expect competition from planned-community-style development and should confirm current zoning and any planned-unit-development (PUD) designation directly, since large master-planned tracts often carry their own development agreement separate from standard county zoning.
Coastal erosion history and inland agricultural land
St. Johns County's Atlantic coastline -- Vilano Beach, St. Augustine Beach, and Anastasia Island -- has a documented history of beach erosion from major storms, including Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Irma in 2017, both of which caused significant dune and beach damage along this stretch of coast. Coastal parcels here should be evaluated with current flood-zone maps and any Coastal Construction Control Line requirements checked directly, since this is a real, recurring risk factor rather than a generic disclaimer.
Inland and to the west, particularly around Hastings, St. Johns County retains a genuine agricultural identity historically tied to potato farming, along with cabbage and other row crops -- a meaningfully different land market than the coastal or Nocatee-adjacent parts of the county, with larger agriculturally zoned tracts still available at lower relative cost.
Who to Call Before Buying Land in St. Johns County
Phone numbers and web addresses here were not live-verified this pass -- confirm directly before relying on them, particularly for historic-district review requirements in St. Augustine.
Planning & Zoning
St. Johns County Planning & Zoning Division
Confirming a parcel's zoning district, any historic-preservation overlay in St. Augustine, and PUD/master-plan status.
Other
St. Johns River Water Management District
Consumptive-use water permitting and well construction requirements beyond an exempt domestic well.
Septic / Onsite Wastewater
Florida Department of Health in St. Johns County -- Environmental Health
Septic (OSTDS) site evaluation and permitting under the statewide Chapter 64E-6 rule.
Recorder / Clerk / Land Records
St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court
Recorded deed, plat, and easement history for a specific parcel.
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Get local guidanceSources
- St. Johns County Government — St. Johns County, FL Government (accessed 2026-09)
- St. Johns River Water Management District — St. Johns River Water Management District (accessed 2026-09)
- Castillo de San Marcos National Monument — National Park Service (accessed 2026-09)
- Chapter 64E-6, F.A.C. -- Standards for Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems — Florida Administrative Code / Florida Department of State (accessed 2026-09)
Last reviewed 2026-09