Real v Nominal Income

Nominal income is the present dollar value of a persons income.
Real income is the purchasing power of a persons income
Real income is the nominal income adjusted for inflation and nominal income divided by the price level.

Real income (in year A $)= National income in year B/ price index year B* price index year A

example

year B income Year B price index Year A price index

212 7.1 116.5 212/7.1*116.5= 3578.59


Stephanie Powers, "Unemployment", Winter 2012