Permits for new housing in Massachusetts tumbled in May, according to new federal statistics.

A total of 526 permits were issued in May, a 26 percent drop from April’s 714 permits and down 3.5 percent from 545 during the same month last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

But permitting activity is up about 7 percent for the year. Bay State cities and towns granted 2,907 permits from January through May, up from 2,721 during the same months in 2009.

Still, year-to-date permitting is far below the pace seen in 2005, when 8,574 permits were issued in the first five months.

Single-family permits totaled 440 in May, down 8 percent from April 479 percent but up 22 percent from 360 in May 2009.

While the increase is significant, this year’s permitting activity is less than half what it was during the same period five years ago, when 4,208 permits were issued.