250k can be "rich" but not always. You have to figure in the expenses each earner or earners that make 250k have. If I made 250k in my current situation (single, no dependents, low cost of living area), yeah I'd consider myself on the rich side.
250k in Northern Virgina? Beverly Hills?
My parents cleared 300k combined when I was growing up in NOVA and although we had more money than some, I never felt rich. They had to refinance their mortgage, setup college funds for three kids, pay loans on 2 cars, etc. You can't simply ignore those expenses to call someone rich, as it's not like my parents were buying mutliple yachts and private jets. These were just the costs of everyday living in NOVA. ATM my work income is roughly $55-60,000 a year and to be honest, that is rich in this area, especially given that my car has been paid for since I bought it and I am renting to own instead of paying back a loan via mortgage. A friend of mine makes the same income and lives in NYC; he's comfortable, but he has no car and lives in an apartment as opposed to my 3 bedroom house.
..."if the only thing keeping a person decent is the expectation of a divine reward, then brother, that person is a piece of shit."