What is the East End like?
The East End is one of nine Census subdistricts on St. Croix, covering about 12.9 square miles of the island’s eastern tip. It is not the same place as the East End of St. Thomas, which has its own Red Hook and the East End guide.
The 2020 Census counted 2,336 residents, down 4.8 percent from 2,453 in 2010, the smallest decline of St. Croix’s nine subdistricts. Housing grew instead: 2,069 units, up 10.8 percent from 1,867, the largest percentage increase on the island.
Two things set the East End apart in the 2020 figures:
- Owners, not renters. 72.4 percent of occupied homes were owner-occupied, the highest share on St. Croix, against 55.7 percent island-wide.
- Many empty or seasonal homes. 45.7 percent of housing units were vacant on Census Day, and 14.0 percent were held for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. Both are the highest shares on the island.
Estates and communities
Census boundary data place these estates in the East End subdistrict, among others:
| Estate | People, 2020 | Housing units, 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Union and Mount Washington | 354 | 237 |
| Boetzberg | 322 | 179 |
| Cotton Valley | 269 | 229 |
| Southgate | 141 | 139 |
| Green Cay | 129 | 125 |
| Coakley Bay | 102 | 157 |
| Teague Bay | 93 | 170 |
Teague Bay and Coakley Bay counted more housing units than residents. Three communities on our site sit here:
- The Reef, a community of 101 villas at Teague Bay with a 9-hole golf course, pictured on this page.
- Coakley Bay Condominiums, 100 condominiums with, in the association’s words, their own self-contained water supply and treatment systems.
- The Grapetree area, where an owners association formed in 1986 represents more than 300 properties across five estates, with about 4 miles of coastal frontage on both shores.
Explore the boundaries on our estate map.
Estimate as of October 2026. In the 2020 Census the median value of owner-occupied homes in the East End subdistrict was $397,120, the highest on St. Croix, and 37.4 percent were valued at $500,000 or more. The median gross rent was $1,272 a month, against $822 island-wide. These are 2020 figures, not current prices or asking rents.
Water and wastewater
Few East End homes are on public utilities for water or sewage. In the 2020 Census:
- 93.8 percent of housing units reported a cistern, catchment, tanks or drums, 20.1 percent a delivery vendor or water truck and just 3.5 percent a public water system. A home can report more than one source.
- 81.2 percent reported a septic tank or cesspool and 12.9 percent a public sewer.
Island-wide, 42.1 percent of units reported public water and 39.7 percent public sewer. On the East End, the cistern, the roof that fills it and the septic system matter as much as the house. Our directory lists cistern and water services and solar and generator installers.
Getting around and nearby services
In 2020 only 2.8 percent of East End households had no vehicle, the lowest share on St. Croix, so plan on driving. Boats to Buck Island Reef National Monument leave from Green Cay Marina, east of Christiansted, as well as from downtown, according to the National Park Service. Our Gallows Bay guide covers the harbor on the way into town.
For working from home, 89.9 percent of occupied homes had a broadband subscription in 2020, the highest share on the island. For schools, the Department of Education publishes a St. Croix redistricting map showing which school serves each residential area. Our directory lists marinas, beaches and parks and property managers.
What to check before you buy or rent
- Water. Ask the cistern’s size and condition, how it is filled and what water deliveries have cost the owner.
- Septic. Have the system inspected, especially in a home that has stood empty.
- Coastal rules. DPNR lists the East End, Southgate Pond and Chenay Bay, and Great Pond and Great Pond Bay among St. Croix’s Areas of Particular Concern, and it reviews all proposed development in Tier 1, the coastal zone.
- Storm exposure. The National Hurricane Center reported a peak sustained wind of 93 knots, gusting to 119, at St. Croix during Hurricane Maria in 2017, and storm surge and waves that damaged the island’s south coast. Ask about roofs, shutters and repairs, and check the FEMA flood map service, which the territory’s insurance regulator points to for judging flood risk.
- Covenants. In the Grapetree area and at The Reef, read the covenants or rules on building, pets and rentals.
For the full process, read our St. Croix buyer’s guide. A home inspector can check a specific property.
