The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area fell by 0.3 percent from September to November 2025. According to Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee, “the index for all items less food and energy declined 0.2 percent over the two-month span.” The food and energy indexes each dropped by 1.0 percent during this period.
Due to a lapse in appropriations, BLS did not collect survey data for October 2025 and cannot retroactively obtain these figures. However, most nonsurvey data used for some indexes were acquired after the fact.
Over the year ending in November, the all-items CPI-U increased by 3.0 percent in the Tampa area. The index excluding food and energy rose by 2.7 percent, while food prices went up by 4.2 percent and energy costs climbed by 5.2 percent.
Within the bi-monthly period, grocery store prices—measured as “food at home”—dropped by 1.9 percent, with notable declines seen in cereals and bakery products (-5.0 percent) and other food at home (-2.1 percent). Restaurant and similar purchases (“food away from home”) edged up slightly by 0.2 percent.
For the past year, restaurant-related food prices rose sharply at 6.1 percent, while grocery store prices increased more moderately at 2.6 percent across all major categories.
The gasoline index decreased by 2.5 percent between September and November but fell overall by only 3.8 percent compared to last year.
Shelter costs also declined over the two months—down by 1.2 percent—partly due to lower lodging away from home expenses; meanwhile, recreation costs increased by 2.3 percent during this time frame.
Year-over-year shelter costs were up by 2.7 percent; both owners’ equivalent rent and rent itself rose at a rate of about 3.2 percent over twelve months.
The next release of local CPI data is scheduled for January 13, 2026 (for December), with another update on February 11, covering January figures.
The CPI measures average price changes over time using a fixed basket of goods and services; regional versions like Tampa’s are published every two months rather than monthly as with national data sets, resulting in higher volatility due to smaller sample sizes and lack of seasonal adjustment.
The Tampa-St.Petersburg-Clearwater Core Based Statistical Area includes Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas Counties.
