Editing Index, Washington (section)

==Economy==
[[File:Index Granite Works, ca 1911 (PICKETT 66).jpeg|thumb|right|A granite quarry near Index, {{circa}} 1911]]

The area had several granite [[quarry|quarries]] that were used to supply building materials for the [[Washington State Capitol Building]] and the base of the [[Smith Tower]] in Seattle.<ref name="BH-1999">{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Iris |date=January 28, 1999 |title=Index draws visitors year-round |page=8 |work=[[The Bellingham Herald]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bellingham-herald-index-draws-visito/140625308/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=February 9, 2024}}</ref> Since the 20th century, the local economy has transitioned from resource extraction industries to tourism, particularly outdoor recreation in the summer months.<ref name="Herald-Beyond">{{cite news |last=Bryan |first=Zachariah |date=June 6, 2021 |title=Wilderness awaits beyond the washout on Index-Galena Road |url=https://www.heraldnet.com/news/wilderness-awaits-beyond-the-washout-on-index-galena-road/ |work=The Everett Herald |accessdate=December 23, 2023}}</ref> Index's residents are a mix of retirees, commuters to other areas, and those who work in [[cottage industry|cottage industries]] and businesses that cater to tourists.<ref name="HistoryLink"/><ref name="Herald-Virus">{{cite news |last=Sanders |first=Julia-Grace |date=May 23, 2020 |title=The town the virus seemed to miss: No cases counted in Index |url=https://www.heraldnet.com/news/the-town-the-virus-missed-no-virus-cases-counted-in-index/ |work=The Everett Herald |access-date=May 23, 2020 |archive-date=June 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200601105700/https://www.heraldnet.com/news/the-town-the-virus-missed-no-virus-cases-counted-in-index/ |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Paradise Sound]] maintained a recording studio where albums were recorded by [[Alice in Chains]] and [[The Walkabouts]].<ref name="PI-Change"/><ref>{{cite news |date=July 21, 1999 |title=Studio Directory |page=15 |work=[[The Rocket (music magazine)|The Rocket]] |location=Seattle}}</ref>

As of the 2023 ''[[American Community Survey]]'' estimates, the most common employers for Index residents are in the [[retail]] sector, followed by construction and educational services.<ref name="ACS">{{cite web |year=2024 |title=Selected Economic Characteristics: Index, Washington |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDP5Y2023.DP03?q=Index%20town,%20Washington |work=[[American Community Survey]] |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=February 9, 2025}}</ref> Approximately 62 residents are employed outside of the town; the most common commuting destinations are [[Seattle]] (17.7%), [[Monroe, Washington|Monroe]] (14.5%), and [[Everett, Washington|Everett]] (11.3%).<ref>{{cite web |title=Destination Analysis&nbsp;— Workers: Living in Index town, WA |url=https://onthemap.ces.census.gov/cgi-bin/report.py?report_id=otm_805b1c169b5c4623a95b3b5ee3eb7397&heading=Destination+Analysis%0AWorkers%3A+Living+in+Index+town%2C+WA%0AShowing%3A+Employment+locations+grouped+by+Places+%28Cities%2C+CDPs%2C+etc.%29&mode=details&settings=%7B%22selection%22%3A+%5B%22otm_b998d58009264d54940569a051689dfd%22%5D%2C+%22n_rollups%22%3A+%22all%22%2C+%22color%22%3A+%5B%22%230000AA%22%5D%2C+%22rollup%22%3A+%22us_plc%22%2C+%22destination_rollup%22%3A+%22us_plc%22%2C+%22job_type%22%3A+%22jt00%22%2C+%22labor%22%3A+%22s000%22%2C+%22ac_segment%22%3A+%22s000%22%2C+%22origin_dir%22%3A+%22home%22%2C+%22geom_operation%22%3A+%22ignore%22%2C+%22fid%22%3A+%22-1%22%2C+%22year%22%3A+%222022%22%2C+%22analysis_type%22%3A+%22destination_report%22%2C+%22drilldown%22%3A+%22%22%2C+%22ap_segment%22%3A+%22s000%22%2C+%22origin_app%22%3A+%22text-only%22%2C+%22origin_type%22%3A+%22home%22%2C+%22comparison_geom%22%3A+%22us_plc%22%7D&format=full_html |publisher=United States Census Bureau |via=OnTheMap |accessdate=February 9, 2025}}</ref> The mean one-way commute for the town's workers was 39.3{{nbsp}}minutes; 81{{nbsp}}percent of commuters drove alone to their place of employment.<ref name="ACS"/>