The personal income of Mainers grew 5.3 percent last year, lagging behind the national average increase of 6.2 percent.

The lower-than-average growth rate put Maine among the 10 states with the slowest income growth for the second year in a row.

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Maine ranked 41st for the percentage increase in personal income last year compared to 2006. In 2006, the state was 46th for personal income growth, posting an increase of 3.9 percent compared to 2005.

On a per-capita basis, personal income in the state was up 5.1 percent last year, just slightly below the national average of 5.2 percent. Maine's income increase ranked 27th among the states on that basis.

The health care industry provided the biggest chunk of the increase in Maine, providing 0.7 percentage points of the growth. Income from the construction industry was the biggest drag, declining 0.17 percentage points.

Income growth elsewhere in New England was also slow last year. Income growth in New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont all lagged behind Maine's. Connecticut and Massachusetts posted higher percentage increases last year.

Louisiana had the biggest increase among the states, with personal income shooting up 10.5 percent, largely due to housing subsidies for residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The BEA defines personal income as all income from all sources, including wages, rental income, dividends and interest and transfer payments, such as government assistance.