Today, people of Wolio origin live throughout eastern Indonesia. Seafaring is considered men's work, along with ironworking, boat building, brass and silver manufacturing, and most of working the fields. Pottery, weaving, preparing meals, doing domestic work, and managing the family's money are the women's primary jobs. Wolio houses are raised above ground and built of sturdy planks. The roofs are made of small planks, palm leaves, or iron, and the houses have very few windows.
Most villages have markets where woven silk, cotton, and other fabrics are traded.
Many villages also have small stores, and peddlers with carts may be seen selling various items. Although parents are involved in the arrangement of the marriages, the young people are free to choose their partners. After marriage, the couple lives with the bride's family until the husband can build his own house. Both father and mother participate in rearing the children. Education is highly valued for both boys and girls in Wolio society.