About St. John

We are a U.S. Territory and we enjoy all the benefits that U.S. citizenship has to offer, except that we cannot vote for President.   However, we do receive all other benefits awarded citizens of the (mainland) United States. The United States purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark in 1917. There are approximately 4200 residents currently living on St John.

Airport: There are no airports on St. John, but St. Thomas' Cyril E. King Airport has direct flights from numerous major hubs in the U.S. Visitors to St. John fly into St. Thomas, then take a taxi to one of the two ferry docks, and then transfer to St. John via large ferryboats: Red Hook ferry is 20 minutes and the Charlotte Amalie (downtown) ferry takes about 45 minutes. There are also private "water taxis" and charter helicopter service available by advanced reservations. Our latitude is 18.2 degrees north and our longitude is 64.5 degrees west.

The Virgin Islands National Park is a tremendous asset on St. John and allows the island to offer a truly unique living experience. The Park protects the pristine beauty of approximately 2/3 of St. John . In addition to beaches regularly declared to be among the best in the world, the Park offers hiking trails, archaeological sites, educational talks and tours, a Visitors' Center, and a campground. National Geographic magazine named St. John as one of the "50 Places You Must See In Your Lifetime".

St. John is a mountainous island of volcanic origin covering about 19 square miles. At its widest points, St. John is about 9 miles long and about 2 miles wide. The highest elevation is 1,277 feet at Bordeaux Mountain.

Banking: There are two banks on St. John, Scotia Bank and First Bank; both have ATM machines, and Starfish Market and both resorts also has an ATM machine.

Mail Service provided through the U.S. Postal Service as well as UPS, Federal Express, and DHL. U.S. Postal rates are the same as in the States.

Newspapers: St. John Tradewinds, St. John Sun Times, Virgin Voice, The Virgin Islands Daily News and the St. Croix Avis are the local papers. USA Today, The Wall Street Journal & several U.S. and Puerto Rican newspapers are flown in daily.

Pets: You will need to acquire a complete and current vaccination history from your veterinarian as well as a required Health Certificate stating that your pet is healthy enough to travel and withstand specific altitudes and endure temperatures typically ranging from 46 to 86 degrees. This is not usually required by the airline, but is required for your pet to pass through the USVI Customs Department.

Pharmacies: There are two pharmacies in Cruz Bay.

Weather on St. John ranges from partly cloudy to mostly sunny, with near-ideal temperatures and gentle tradewind breezes year round. Rainfall averages about 43 inches per year( Sept-Nov& May-June). Winter temperatures range from about 77 to 84 degrees and summer temperatures range from about 82 to 90 degrees.

St. John residents enjoy an exceptional quality of life, with a clean environment, a low crime rate, a relaxed lifestyle, and "perfect" weather. Opportunities for outdoor exercise abound for lovers of land and water alike. We have many hiking trails through the Park, and many types of watersports are enjoyed year-round. We have two gym facilities and our health services include the Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Center and several private St. John physicians, as well as a hospital and additional private physicians on St. Thomas.

Virgin Island residents are subject to the Virgin Islands IRS tax code, which is a mirror image of the Federal IRS tax code. There are no city or state taxes. Businesses pay a 4% gross receipts tax on gross income.

Residents of St. John appreciate the relaxed pace and the privacy of island living, yet we enjoy opportunities to connect and have a reputation for pulling together as a "small town" community. There are lots of ways to be involved in our community, from volunteering for the Friends of the National Park & Animal Care Center to taking advantage of all the classes and events offered at the St. John School of the Arts.

St. John is a great place to raise children. We have a private school for grades pre-K through 12, a religiously affiliated private school for grades pre-K through 3, and public schools for grades K-9. (St. John public school students travel to St. Thomas for grades 9-12). St. Thomas has a variety of private schools as well, including the highly regarded Antilles School.

Special tax benefits are offered by the Economic Development Commission ("EDC") of the Virgin Islands. Visit www.usvieda.org for more information.