St. James City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place at the southern end of Pine Island, in Lee County, Florida. Pine Island is the largest barrier island off Florida's Gulf Coast, separated from the mainland communities of Cape Coral and Fort Myers by Matlacha Pass and Pine Island Sound. The community's 2020 census population was 3,876, and it functions as a quiet, boat-centered residential area with a distinctly Old Florida character. The area began as a fishing outpost, drawing early settlers to the sheltered waters of San Carlos Bay for commercial and recreational fishing, and St. James City was founded in 1885. For much of its early history it remained a remote, roadless fishing settlement. The later construction of Stringfellow Road down the island's spine, followed by the digging of residential canals, transformed the southern tip of Pine Island into a network of waterfront neighborhoods built around boating and fishing, which remains the community's defining feature today. St. James City is reached by a single route: Pine Island Road, the only highway onto the island, which passes through the colorful historic fishing village of Matlacha before continuing south. This isolation is part of its appeal, keeping the pace slow and the atmosphere authentic. The population skews toward retirees and seasonal residents, and canal-front homes with docks and boat lifts line the waterways. The community's recent history has been shaped by Hurricane Ian, which struck in 2022, flooding streets and homes and severing the island's connection when its bridge was damaged. Recovery has been a multi-year effort, with rebuilding and elevation reshaping parts of the housing stock. Students attend Lee County public schools. Through it all, St. James City has retained its essential identity as a water-centered island community prized for its fishing, boating, and unhurried way of life.