Appropriate for Valentine’s Day, a recent economic summary of Lewisburg and Marshall County looks rather rosy.

Lewisburg’s Director of Economic Development Greg Lowe put together data for 2016 from various state and federal sources that show a strong local economy.

Lowe’s report indicates all local economic trends are going up, with the only exception the downward trend in unemployment.

In April and May unemployment for Marshall County reached as low as 3.8 percent and never rose higher than 5.0 percent during the year.

The yearly average for 2016 came in at 4.6 percent, down from 5.9 percent last year. As recently as 2013 the rate stood at 10.2 percent after reaching a high of 16.9 percent in 2010.

Low unemployment, while a positive, has left some employers with difficulty finding qualified candidates to fill open positions, Lowe reported. That demand has led to an increase in the starting wages as businesses compete to fill vacancies. The last year has seen the average starting hourly rate increase from roughly $10 per hour to closer to $13.

The median household income has increased 3.9 percent to just higher than $43,000. Increases in income have contributed to new retail development over the past year and sales tax collections are up 3.7 percent in Lewisburg according to the latest state numbers.

Business licenses issued were up 8.3 percent in 2016, with 195 issued.

Another positive indicator is a strong housing market based on the number of building permits issued so far this year by the county. During the 2015-16 fiscal year, 176 home building permits were issued. Through the first seven months of this year, July through January, 138 permits have already been issued. The number of home permits have risen each year, from only 73 in 2012 to 94 in 2013 to 130 in 2014.

Normally this time of year is slow, Don Nelson said, who serves as the county’s building code administrator and inspector. Nelson’s office is so busy now he is considering hiring another inspector. Nelson couldn’t even guess how high the number of new builds in the county could reach by the end of the fiscal year.

Median home costs also rose an estimated 10 percent to $124,900.

While jobs and economic growth is still key, Lowe has noted that employers are placing increased emphasis on the issue of community livability.

While Lowe is still actively recruiting businesses to Lewisburg, quality of life is becoming a larger part of the picture that industries consider when reviewing a location.

Lowe says that livability will be a focus his office must consider as part of recruiting businesses for Lewisburg and the county as a whole.

The Tennessee Valley Authority is considering a program to measure and improve livability across the region it serves, and is considering Lewisburg as a potential partner in developing the program.