Cruz Bay
The main town and port of entry on the west end: ferries, shops, restaurants, government offices, and the national park visitor center, all within a walkable core.
Two towns, one island
Towns & communities
Cruz Bay anchors the busy west end and Coral Bay the quiet east — with park land, hillside neighborhoods, and about 3,900 residents in between.
≈3,900 residents≈20 square milesAST year-round
The two towns
Almost everything commercial happens in one of these two places.
Coral Bay
The historic settlement on the east end — a sailing anchorage with a small cluster of restaurants, shops, and a strong community identity.
Around the island
Beyond the towns, the island is park land and hillside neighborhoods.
North Shore
Park land and the famous beaches — Hawksnest through Maho and Francis. No town and few services; this is the protected heart of the island.
Source: NPS places to go · Checked Jul 2, 2026Official source ↗East End & Salt Pond
Beyond Coral Bay the road narrows to remote residential pockets and the south-shore trailheads — the quietest corner of an already quiet island.
Mid-island heights
Residential neighborhoods climb Centerline Road toward Bordeaux Mountain, the island’s highest point — expect steep driveways and big views.
Island facts & daily life
The practical shape of living on — or visiting — a small island.
Small by design
About 20 square miles with roughly 3,900 residents at the 2020 Census — and about 60% of the land inside Virgin Islands National Park.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Island Areas) · Checked Jul 2, 2026Official source ↗Services are on St. Thomas
The hospital, the airport, and big-box shopping are across Pillsbury Sound — residents plan life around the ferry, and visitors should too.
Ferry schedules →Utilities & alerts
Power and water come from WAPA. Live outage status and official advisories are tracked with sources on the alerts page.
Island status →About this section
How we keep it honest.
Knowing the island’s geography makes every other decision easier: where to stay, how far dinner is, and what “remote” really means on a 20-square-mile island where most land is national park. This page is also the entry point for the resident-facing status data elsewhere on the site.
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