<p>The relationship among land-use/land-cover (LULC) ecosystem service values (ESVs) and socio-economic conditions is critical to the sustainability of watershed management, but the coordination is not well understood. This study, therefore, examines the coupling coordination degree (CCD) among LULC, ESVs, and socio-economic conditions in the Shazand Watershed, Markazi Province, Iran. A conceptual model incorporating quantitative and qualitative indices was employed, with analysis conducted using SPSS, the InVEST model, and GIS. The findings indicated that LULC changes significantly affected ESVs and overall CCD across sub-watersheds, particularly in rainfed agricultural areas. ESVs were primarily driven by sediment retention (SR) and net primary production (NPP). With a 69% contribution, SR had the most significant impact on ESVs and, consequently, on the degree of coordination relative to NPP, especially in rangeland-dominated regions. Additionally, socio-economic factors such as security, welfare, and social participation were found to be pivotal determinants of the outcomes. Among social and economic variables, the economy had the most significant impact on the socio-economic status index, particularly in terms of the degree of coordination. The CCD model classified 92% of sub-watersheds as exhibiting high correlation levels despite noticeable spatial disparities resulting from climatic and economic conditions. The urbanized regions had less ESVs. The key conclusion is the need to balance the use of natural resources, economic growth, and social conditions through regional planning that integrates the sustainability of resources and ESVs into national policies. The research offers a guideline for addressing multi-coordinated aspects at the watershed scale in meeting sustainable development objectives.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>