Many states have significant coastal vulnerability, yet none of them are tackling this threat head-on at the same scale as Louisiana. Investing billions of dollars into coastal restoration and protection is essential not only to reducing flood risk but also to creating new opportunities to diversify the economy of Southeast Louisiana. The Coastal Index examines the economy of water management through an industry cluster perspective. It tracks economic, social, and political factors that have been shown to affect the formation of industry clusters in the U.S. The data shows how leaders can build on strengths and address weaknesses to make the water management sector into a long-lasting driver for the regional economy.