St. Croix: the basic facts

Updated August 16, 2026

The plain facts, in one place.

The essentials

Territory status	Unincorporated territory of the United States
Island group	U.S. Virgin Islands (with St. Thomas and St. John)
Size	~84 square miles — the largest USVI
Dimensions	~28 miles long, ~7 miles at the widest
Location	~70 miles east of Puerto Rico, ~40 miles south of St. Thomas
Currency	U.S. dollar
Language	English (official); Virgin Islands Creole and Spanish widely spoken
Time zone	Atlantic Standard Time, UTC−4, no daylight saving
Driving side	Left
Airport	Henry E. Rohlsen (STX)
Main towns	Christiansted, Frederiksted
Passport needed?	Not for U.S. citizens from the mainland

Is it part of the United States?

Yes. The U.S. bought the Danish West Indies from Denmark in 1917, and the islands became the U.S. Virgin Islands. People born in the U.S. Virgin Islands are U.S. citizens. The territory sends a non-voting delegate to Congress; residents do not vote in presidential elections.

Practically, for a visitor: U.S. dollars, U.S. postal service, U.S. mobile plans generally work as domestic, and no immigration control on arrival from the mainland.

Why left-hand driving?

Denmark drove on the left when it ran these islands, and the USVI never switched — the only U.S. jurisdiction that still drives on the left. The cars, however, are mostly imported American left-hand-drive vehicles. It is genuinely disorienting for about an hour.

Population and towns

41,004 people lived on St. Croix at the 2020 Census — down from 50,601 in 2010. It is the largest of the three main islands by land area but not by population: St. Thomas had 42,261 and St. John 3,881.

Christiansted in the north-east and Frederiksted in the west are the two towns. Both are Danish-founded, both still working towns rather than resort strips.

Geography in one paragraph

The east end is dry and rugged, ending at Point Udall — often described as the easternmost point of the United States. The west end is green and gets the rain, with a genuine stretch of rainforest. The north shore has the dive wall at Cane Bay and the bioluminescent bay at Salt River. The middle of the island is rolling former sugar country. Highest point is Mount Eagle, a bit over 1,100 feet.

Weather

Warm year-round — daytime temperatures broadly in the 80s Fahrenheit. Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, peaking mid-August to October. Driest and least humid from mid-December to April. See best time to visit.

What it is known for

Buck Island Reef National Monument and its underwater snorkel trail; the Cane Bay wall, one of the few shore-accessible deep drop-offs anywhere; three centuries of rum-making; and Danish colonial Christiansted.

Population figures are from the 2020 U.S. Census (Island Areas). Other figures here are stable and widely published. For current official statistics, see the U.S. Census Bureau and the USVI Bureau of Economic Research.

Common questions

Is St. Croix a US territory?

Yes. St. Croix is part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, an unincorporated territory of the United States, purchased from Denmark in 1917. Residents are U.S. citizens.

What is the largest US Virgin Island?

St. Croix, at roughly 84 square miles — more than twice the size of St. Thomas.

What currency is used in St. Croix?

The U.S. dollar. There is no currency exchange to worry about for U.S. visitors.

What language do they speak in St. Croix?

English is the official language. You will also hear Virgin Islands Creole, and Spanish is widely spoken.

Do they drive on the left in St. Croix?

Yes. The U.S. Virgin Islands drive on the left — a holdover from Danish colonial rule — usually in left-hand-drive American cars.