I think its obvious that 'rich' is 'dem whos gots more than us.
A fair observation. "Rich" is relative.
Myself, I would use a rubric that was about one-third salary, one-third investments and savings, and one-third property. But that's not etched in stone.
There's a top 0.0005% or so that own the country. What they say, goes. The Forbes 500. They're the ones that groom Presidents, give the orders, have people whacked, and so forth.
The top 0.001% or so are their most favored servants, their coterie. They are the bagmen of the elite. You don't get here without the direct permission of the elite.
Between them and 0.1%, you've got what almost everyone would call "super-rich." But not the owners of America. More like the most favored vassals of the elite that are not formally part of the elite's court. A few manage to get here independently (movie stars and other entertainers, inventors who manage to patently something hugely popular, etc.). Since this level does not grant any real access to the "machinery" that runs the country, the rulers of America don't police it...much.
Between the top 2% and 0.1%, you've got the garden-variety rich. You're too low on the food chain for the elite to really care about you.
Between the top 10% and 2%, you've got people some would call "rich," and others merely upper middle class. Most small businessmen and professionals come in here.
Between the top 25% and 10%, you're in the upper to mid reaches of the middle class.
