Hawaii next to last
in income growth

Only North Dakota
fared worse than the isles'
2.4% gain in 1997

Associated Press

Personal income growth in Hawaii ranked near the bottom of the list for 1997, failing to keep pace with the mainland boom.

Nationally, average income for America's 267.6 million men, women and children totaled $25,598, up 4.8 percent from 1996, the Commerce Department reported yesterday.

But Hawaii's per capita income for the year was $26,034, up 2.4 percent from 1996. Only North Dakota, which saw a 1 percent drop in average income, had a worse showing than Hawaii.

"Hawaii ... depends heavily on Asian tourism and Asian investment and both of those things have dried up," said Mark Zandi of Regional Financial Associates in West Chester, Pa.

Other states with slow per capita income growth were Nevada, 2.8 percent; Alaska, 2.9 percent; and Idaho, 3.1 percent.

Connecticut saw the fastest growth with per capita income at $36,263, up 6.1 percent from last year. By state, per capita incomes ranged from $36,263 in Connecticut to $18,272 in Mississippi. Hawaii's average of $26,034 ranked 16th, down from 12th last year.

The stock market's extraordinary rise last year accounts for much of the growth in states such as Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York.