Description:The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is the best known measure of inflation in the United States. The CPI measures the change in the general or overall level of consumer prices. Other price indices exist that measure more than only consumer prices and are, therefore, better measures of economywide price level changes. Many economists also contend the CPI overstates inflation by not properly accounting for hard to measure quality improvements in products and for changes in consumer buying habits. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has implemented improvements. The CPI's monthly frequency and consumer focus make it the most popular measure nonetheless.

In addition to the national Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Bureau of Labor Statistics, has constructed regional and selected local indices. Inflation may vary by region. Local CPIs are often published with less frequency than the national CPI. The South regional CPI is published monthly but the Tampa-St Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area CPI is published only semi-annually.

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Description: The Florida Department of Education publishes the annual Florida Price Level Index (FPLI) that compares the average price levels of Florida counties to the overall state average price level. FPLI is not a measure of inflation. FPLI compares costs of living at a given point in time, not the change in prices. The average state price level is set at 100. A county with a price level less than 100 has an average cost of living that is less than the state. An index number greater than 100 indicates that county's cost of living is, on average, greater than that of the whole state. An individual county's index number often has a high degree of variability from year to year. It is more helpful to observe multi-year trends as a result.

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