Landscaping Services NAICS 561730

Jun 20, 2026 - Green Services See Steady Q1 Growth

• Providers of lawn care and landscaping – “Green” services – saw conditions improve in the first quarter of 2026 as homeowners planned more springtime outdoor projects, according to the recently released Home Service Economic Report by Jobber, a job-tracking and customer-management software firm. The green services industry was resilient in the first quarter despite mounting headwinds, including higher inflation, waning consumer confidence, and a sluggish housing market. The green sector saw a 7% increase in new work bookings in Q1 compared to the same period in 2025, and the median revenue of green firms increased by about 16%. The average invoice size grew by 8% in January, and 16% in February, before falling in March, but higher job volumes helped offset March's weaker invoice values.
• Steadier existing-home sales could signal growing demand for landscaping services, as consumers often spruce up outdoor spaces before selling or after buying a home. Sales of existing US homes increased by 3.2% in May 2026 from April and were up 3.2% year-over-year, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun said, "More Americans are on the move, with home sales rising to the highest level since December. This is great news for the housing market and the economy. Improving affordability is helping drive this momentum. Even with mortgage rates ticking up compared to earlier in the year, they remain lower than a year ago and are essentially at the long-term historical average. Income gains are also outpacing home price growth by a small margin in most parts of the country."

• Rising landscaping costs are reshaping the design industry, pushing professionals and homeowners to prioritize efficiency, durability, and restraint, according to The Wall Street Journal. Projects that cost between $3,000 and $7,500 last year are now priced between $4,000 and $9,000, according to the online landscaping platform Yardzen. However, demand remains steady, with 54% of homeowners upgrading outdoor spaces in 2026, per Houzz. Designers are responding by favoring simpler, cohesive plans over elaborate features, emphasizing strong focal elements, repeatable materials, and phased construction to manage budgets. There is also greater reliance on creative sourcing, including secondhand materials, and on plant-forward designs that deliver visual impact without excessive cost. These shifts reflect a broader move toward practical, scalable landscapes that balance aesthetics, function, and long-term value.
• Bloomberg Law reports that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has adopted stricter I-9 enforcement guidance that eliminates a longstanding grace period for correcting minor paperwork errors, exposing employers to immediate fines ranging from $288 to $2,861 per form. I-9 documents are used to ensure workers are authorized to work in the US. The shift increases scrutiny of electronic verification systems, where audit-trail deficiencies can trigger large-scale penalties affecting hundreds or thousands of records. Immigration attorneys warn that systemic issues could result in fines reaching millions of dollars. For the landscaping industry, which relies heavily on seasonal and foreign labor, the heightened enforcement raises compliance risks, increases operational costs, and poses a threat to workforce stability. Employers are urged to review I-9 processes and technology systems to avoid costly violations as ICE intensifies oversight.