Editing Index, Washington (section)

{{good article}}
{{Distinguish|Index of Washington (state)-related articles}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = 
| settlement_type          = [[Town]]
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    = 
| image_skyline            = Index Town Wall Trailhead, Index, United States.jpg
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = Index and surrounding mountains viewed from the Index Town Wall Trailhead
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = 
| image_map                = Snohomish_County_Washington_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Index_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location of Index, Washington
| image_map1               = 
| mapsize1                 = 
| map_caption1             = 
| subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name         = United States
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1        = [[Washington (state)|Washington]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Washington|County]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Snohomish County, Washington|Snohomish]]
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = [[Mayor–council government|Mayor–council]]
| leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name              = Norm Johnson
| leader_title1            = 
| leader_name1             = 
| established_title        = Founded
| established_date         = 1889
| established_title1       = [[Municipal incorporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date1        = October 11, 1907
| unit_pref                = Imperial
| area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_53.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020|archive-date=March 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220311043204/https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_53.txt|url-status=live}}</ref>
| area_magnitude           = 
| area_total_km2           = 0.59
| area_land_km2            = 0.59
| area_water_km2           = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi         = 0.23
| area_land_sq_mi          = 0.23
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
| population_total         = 155
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_est           = 157
| pop_est_as_of            = 2023
| pop_est_footnotes        = <ref name="Census-Estimate2023">{{cite web |date=May 2024 |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in Washington: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=February 9, 2025}}</ref>
| population_footnotes     = <ref name="Census-Profile">{{cite web |title=Profile: Index town, Washington |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Index_town,_Washington?g=160XX00US5333175 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=March 22, 2024}}</ref>
| population_density_km2   = 262.71
| population_density_sq_mi = 673.91
| timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific (PST)]]
| utc_offset               = -8
| timezone_DST             = PDT
| utc_offset_DST           = -7
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name="GR3"/>
| elevation_m              = 
| elevation_ft             = 541
| coordinates              = {{coord|47|49|15|N|121|33|14|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 98256
| area_code                = [[Area code 360|360]]
| area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 53-33175
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 1521157<ref name="GR3">{{cite gnis |id=1521157 |name=Index, Washington |entrydate=September 10, 1979 |access-date=May 26, 2020}}</ref>
| footnotes                = 
| name                     = Index
| native_name              = x̌əx̌aʔusalʔtxʷ
}}

'''Index''' ({{Langx|lut|x̌əx̌aʔusalʔtxʷ}})<ref name="Hollenbeck-Moss"/> is a town in [[Snohomish County, Washington|Snohomish County]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], United States. The population was 155 at the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]], making it the smallest incorporated municipality in the county. Index lies at an elevation of {{convert|541|ft|m}} along the North Fork [[Skykomish River]] in the [[Cascade Mountains]]. It is connected to surrounding communities by [[U.S. Route 2 in Washington|U.S. Route 2]].

The town was established in 1889 by Amos Gunn and his family after they purchased an existing claim to build a home and hotel. It was named for [[Baring Mountain|Mount Index]] (now Baring Mountain), which resembled an [[index finger]]. Index became a stop on the [[Great Northern Railway (U.S.)|Great Northern Railway]] in 1893 and was [[plat]]ted the same year amid a boom in mineral exploration in the area. The town reached its peak population of 1,000 residents by 1900 and was [[Municipal incorporation|incorporated]] as a municipality on October 11, 1907.

Index's economy originally relied on mining, lumber, and a [[granite]] quarry, but these industries declined by the middle of the 20th century. The town lost many of its businesses and the permanent population shrank for decades before stabilizing between 150 and 200 residents; [[vacation home]]s and seasonal residents became more prevalent as the area continued to be a hub for outdoor recreation. [[Rock climbing]] on the cliffs of the Index Town Wall and [[rafting]] on the Skykomish River brought new tourism to the Index area and forms part of the modern economy.