In the US yes because of tax relief and better investment options? Here I pay nearer 4% mortgage (a 3% 5 year fix like your may have been possible with impeccable timing, just got off a 4.39% 5 year fix), in after tax money, get maybe tops 1% in the bank and have to pay tax on that 1% too!

Technically you can pay off some of the mortgage early, split a new loan account, borrow from that new account, and then use that to invest, and claim the interest of that against tax. So basically those with more money pay less tax, of course.