Renters pay a larger share of their income for housing than do home owners, according to the latest survey from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Does that mean we all should buy a home? Not so fast.

The Census says housing costs consume 33 percent of a renter's income. The average housing burden across all types of ownership is 24 percent.

But when you get into the fine print you realize that the median home owner pays $927 per month versus $755 for a renter. A simple explanation: Renters have lower incomes.

The survey didn't factor in mortgage interest deductions, domestic contentment and other tangibles and intangibles. They can be decisive in your decision whether to rent or own.

Here's a link to a New York Times story. You gluttons for punishment can link to the survey in all of its 642-page glory.

Another interesting tidbit: Homes built in the past few years average 2,300 square feet. Fifty years ago a typical family squeezed in less than 1,000 square feet.