formersandiegan, your calculation clearly illustrates that lower-income folks don't much benefit from buying. If they have many dependents then their tax benefits from buying would be even lower. Thanks for doing the calculations. I was too lazy to do it.

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Anyway, from my experience, based on my properties, there is nowhere near a 50% discount for renting, apples to apples.

DaCounselor, since renters are much more mobile than owners shouldn't they take full benefit of that "competitive advantange" and do an apples to oranges comparaison?  That is rent in a nicer neighborhood than they could buy; enjoy a better standard of living, and provide their kids with a better school experience.    That's the message that would-be-buyers should be hearing.