Building permits in Massachusetts saw a steep decline in December 2018 compared to December 2017, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Massachusetts municipalities issued permits to construct 1,339 housing units in December of last year, the most recent period in which local data are available, and for 2,359 units in December 2017. Permits for single-family homes dropped from 651 to 469, but permits for multifamily buildings with at least five units jumped from 24 buildings to 42 buildings. However, the total number of units in these multifamily buildings fell, from 1,643 units in December 2017 to 737 units in December 2018.

Recent data from the National Association of Home Builders show building permits fell 11 percent statewide between 2017 and 2018, led by a 35 percent drop in permits issued in the Worcester area and a 6 percent drop in permits issued in the Boston area.

The NAHB data show a 9 percent drop in permits for multifamily construction statewide, with the largest drop being a 6 percent decline in the Greater Boston area. Single-family permits were down 15 percent statewide, led by drops of just under 20 percent each in the Springfield and Worcester areas and a 5 percent drop in the Boston area. However, single-family permits jumped 14 percent in the Pittsfield area.