NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Housing starts beat expectations once again and posted another strong month, rising 0.5 percent in February, according to a government report released Wednesday.

The Commerce Department reported that housing starts rose to a seasonally adjusted of 2.2 million from a revised 2.18 million in January.

Analysts had called for 2.03 million, according to Briefing.com.

The last time housing starts were stronger was February of 1984, when they came in at a 2.26 million annual pace.

The latest report marked the fifth time in the last six months that housing starts topped the 2 million annual pace mark.

Building permits, which are generally issued before construction and are seen as a measure of confidence in the market, posted a decline of 2.7 percent to 2.07 million, down from an unchanged 2.13 million in January. The number of building permits issued was in line with analysts' expectations.

Fixed 30-year mortgage rates averaged 5.91 percent last week, excluding fees, according to The Mortgage Bankers Association. While that number is up 22 basis points from 5.69 percent the previous week, mortgage rates remain historically low.

Housing starts are the number of residential units on which construction begins each month.

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