Why would you take a mortgage, probably the biggest investment in your life, if you don't plan to have kids? Even in places where its actually cheaper to pay mortgage compared to renting there are so many negative aspects to committing to strict payment regime for next 20+ years to a single place, that it doesn't make any logical sense.

In no kids scenario is much better to rent, adapt your place of live to your current situation/market/plans, when retiring just move someplace dirt cheap and awesome.

If you have kids, its a huge value that you can pass to them, if done smartly (if not, it will probably destroy offspring's relationships between them for life).