RANKING THE STATES BY INCOME

Connecticut continued to lead the states in average incomes last year, while Mississippi remained at the bottom of the per capita income list. The Commerce Department said Wednesday that residents of Connecticut on average earned $23,059 for every adult and child in 1988, an increase of 8.5 percent over 1987.

For the nation as a whole, incomes rose 6.6 percent to an average of $16,489.

Mississippi ranked last with a per capita income of $11,116, a 7.9 percent increase over the previous year.

The revised figures show that income growth in the United States was not quite as strong as originally reported four months ago. The original report put national per capita incomes at $16,444, a 6.2 percent increase from 1987.

Ranking with Connecticut in the top 10 were New Jersey, up 8.5 percent to $21,994; Massachusetts, up 8.8 percent to $20,816; Maryland, up 7.0 percent to $19,487; New Hampshire, up 7.5 percent to $19,434; New York, up 7.6 percent to $19,305; Alaska, up 3.3 percent to $19,079; California, up 5.5 percent to $18,753; Virginia, up 6.9 percent to $17,695; and Delaware, up 8.3 percent to $17,661.

At the bottom with Mississippi were: West Virginia, up 6.6 percent to $11,735; Utah, up 5.8 percent to $12,193; Arkansas, up 7.0 percent to $12,219; Louisiana, up 6.8 percent to $12,292; New Mexico, up 5.0 percent to $12,488; Idaho, up 7.4 percent to $12,665; South Dakota, up 2.7 percent to $12,755; Kentucky, up 6.9 percent to $12,822; North Dakota, up 0.1 percent to $12,833; and Alabama, up 6.7 percent to $12,851.