In December 2010 The Washington Post engaged BDO USA to see how far a quarter million dollars pre-tax would go for a family of four living in selected affluent suburbs across the country. Keep in mind that while $250,000 does not put you in the Top 1 Percent it puts one solidly in The Next 9 Percent. Representing New York City was Huntington (where $250,000 puts one in the Top 7 Percent of earning households), Naperville (Top 4 Percent) was selected for Chicago, Pinecrest (Top 3 Percent) for Miami, Glendale (Top 4 Percent) for Los Angeles, Plano (Top4 Percent) for Dallas, and Bethesda, The District and Alexandria (Top 7 Percent) for the $250,000 earners working in Washington D.C.

The study was a follow-up to a blog post by University of Chicago Professor Todd Henderson who chronicled his own household’s battle to get by on $250,000 a year before…