John Delaney, Democratic challenger for the Maryland's 6th Congressional District, speaks at an election night event, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, in Potomac, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) (Photo: )
The median estimated net worth of incoming freshmen members of Congress is almost $1 million more than that of the typical American household, according to a report released Tuesday by the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan research group.
According to recent Census data, the median net worth of American households was $66,740 in 2010. The median net worth of the 94 lawmakers who won election in November, however, was much, much higher: $1,066,515 at end of 2011.
The wealthiest freshman lawmaker is Rep. John K. Delaney (D-Md.), who previously managed a commercial lending firm and has an estimated net worth of $139 million, according to the report.
But veteran members of Congress are no paupers either. The report found that 48 percent of all members of Congress have an estimated net worth of more than $1 million -- representing a 9 percent increase in average net wealth for lawmakers from 2010 to 2011. CRP also estimated the total combined net worth of all lawmakers in 2011 was $4.5 billion.
Among the richest lawmakers is Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), who made his fortune in the car alarm business and is worth about $480 million. On the Democratic side, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and outgoing Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) are valued at $235 million and $171 million, respectively.
Some have voiced concern recently over how money affects the ability of lawmakers to do their jobs. Sheila Krumholz, the executive director of CPR, cast doubt on whether uber-wealthy lawmakers could relate to average citizens.
"Apparently, on the whole, we don't want people who look like us, financially speaking [in Congress]," Krumholz said in a statement Tuesday. "What's harder to measure is whether these new legislators appreciate the financial pain people face and can effectively represent them despite the fact that they themselves are well off."
Check out the full list of the wealthiest people in Congress here.
Rep. Tom Cotton (R-Ark., 4th District)
In this photo provided by the Arkansas Secretary of State's office, taken Feb. 24, 2012, Republican Congressional candidate Tom Cotton poses in Little Rock, Ark. (AP Photo/Arkansas Secretary of State, Victor Coats)
Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-Ariz., 1st District)
Then-Congressional candidate Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Arizona, waves as she enters a room full of supporters during an election night party at the Radisson Woodlands Flagstaff Hotel on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 in Flagstaff, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
Rep. Matt Salmon (R-Ariz., 5th District)
Newly-elected U.S. Rep. Matt Salmon speaks to the crowd during an election night party, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, at a hotel in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz., 9th District)
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio performs a mock swearing in for Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington as the 113th Congress began. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif., 1st District)
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, second from left, performs a mock swearing in for Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., right, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington as the 113th Congress began. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif., 2nd District)
Rep.-elect Jared Huffman, D-Calif. is seen on stage during a news conference with newly elected Democratic House members, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif., 7th District)
Rep.-elect Ami Bera, D-Calif., speaks to reporters after he registered for orientation at a hotel as newly elected members of Congress arrived on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Rep. Paul Cook (R-Calif. 8th District)
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio performs a mock swearing in for Rep. Paul Cook, R-Calif., Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington as the 113th Congress began. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif., 15th District)
In this photo taken Sept. 7, 2012, California Rep. candidate Eric Swalwell speaks during an Alameda County Democratic Lawyers Club endorsement meeting at Everett & Jones Barbeque in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif., 21st District)
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio performs a mock swearing in for Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington as the 113th Congress began. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif., 26th District)
Rep.-elect Julia Brownley, D-Calif. is seen on stage during a news conference with newly elected Democratic House members, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-Calif., 29th District)
Rep.-elect Tony Cardenas, D-Calif., is interviewed following a news conference with newly elected Democratic House members, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Rep. Gloria McLeod (D-Calif., 35th District)
Rep.-elect Gloria Negrete McLeod, D-Calif. is seen on stage during a news conference with newly elected Democratic House members, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif., 36th District)
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio performs a mock swearing in for Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., second right, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington as the 113th Congress began. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif., 41st District)
Rep.-elect Mark Takano, D-Calif., is interviewed following a news conference with newly elected Democratic House members, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif., 47th District)
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio performs a mock swearing in for Rep. Alan Lowenthal, D-Calif., Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington as the 113th Congress began. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)
Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif., 51st District)
Then-State Sen. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego, right, and his daughter Helena, 7, stand for the Pledge of Alleglance before a swearing in ceremony for Senate members at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., on Monday, Dec. 6, 2010. (AP Photo/Steve Yeater)
Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif., 52nd District)
This 2012 photograph provided by the candidate's campaign shows Democrat Scott Peters. (AP Photo)
Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn., 5th District)
Rep.-elect Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn. is seen on stage during a news conference with newly elected Democratic House members, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla., 3rd District)
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, left, performs a mock swearing in for Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., third from left, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington as the 113th Congress began. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla., 6th District)
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio performs a mock swearing in for Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington, as the 113th Congress began. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla., 9th District)
Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., stands with his family for a ceremonial photo with Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, left, in the Rayburn Room of the Capitol after the new 113th Congress convened on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Washington. The official oath of office for all members of the House was administered earlier in the House chamber. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Fla., 18th District)
Rep.-elect Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., speak during a news conference with newly elected Democratic House members, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Rep. Trey Radel (R-Fla., 19th District)
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, third from left, performs a mock swearing in for Rep. Trey Radel, R-Fla., third from right, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington as the 113th Congress began. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla., 22nd District)
Rep.-elect Lois Frankel, D-Fla. is seen on stage during a news conference with newly elected Democratic House members, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Rep. Joe Garcia (D-Fla., 26th District)
Rep.-elect Joe Garcia, D-Fla. is seen on stage during a news conference with newly elected Democratic House members, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga., 9th District)
State Rep. Doug Collins speaks at a victory party after winning the GOP runoff in the 9th Congressional District race Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012, in Gainesville, Ga. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii, 2nd District)
In this Nov. 6, 2012 file photo, Democrat Colleen Hanabusa, right, congratulates candidate Tulsi Gabbard after both women won their Hawaii Congressional district seats at the Japanese Cultural Center in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill., 8th District)
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 15: Newly elected Congressional freshmen Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) arrives to pose for a class picture with other new members of the 113th Congress on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on November 15, 2012 in Washington DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill., 10th District)
This undated file photo provided by the Brad Schneider for Congress campaign shows Brad Schneider, the Democratic candidate in Illinois' 10th Congressional District. (AP Photo/ Brad Schneider for Congress campaign)
Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill., 11th District)
This undated file photo provided by the Foster campaign shows U.S. Rep Bill Foster. (AP Photo/Courtesy the Bill Foster campaign, File)
Rep. William Enyart (D-Ill., 12th District)
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio performs a mock swearing in for Rep. William Enyart, D-Ill., Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington, as the 113th Congress began. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill., 13th District)
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio performs a mock swearing in for Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington, as the 113th Congress began. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill., 17th District)
House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio performs a mock swearing in for Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., surrounded by her family, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington, as the 113th Congress began. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind., 2nd District)
Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Ind., third from right, participates in a mock swearing-in ceremony with Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, for the 113th Congress on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013 in Washington. The real swearing-in occurs on the House floor. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)
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