Benson the lone Louisianan on Forbes 400 list of richest Americans

With a net worth of $1.2 billion, Tom Benson, the 85-year-old owner of both the New Orleans Saints and Hornets sports franchises, is ranked No. 360 on The Forbes 400 list of the richest people in America. He’s the only Louisiana resident on the list, which was released today. The combined net worth of the 2012 class of the 400 richest Americans is $1.7 trillion, up from $1.5 trillion a year ago, Forbes reports. The average net worth of a Forbes 400 member is $4.2 billion, up from $3.8 billion, and the highest ever, as two-thirds of the individuals added to their fortunes in the past year. Another factor: the gap between the very rich and the merely rich is widening. Only two in the top 20 are poorer, and as a group they are worth $73 billion more than a year ago. The country’s three richest entrepreneurs drove much of those gains, continuing to add billions to their net worth, even as they give money away. Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Larry Ellison, who hold onto their respective spots at No. 1, 2 and 3, were up $7 billion, $7 billion and $8 billion, respectively. See the full list here.