Traditionally, the Hazara were nomads herding sheep, goats, and horses. Now, some earn a living through mixed grain farming. The major crops are wheat and barley, and a variety of fruits are also grown. Many of the men work as cobblers, porters, water carriers, or trash collectors. Hazara men wear knee length, cotton shirts hanging over matching baggy trousers, embroidered skullcaps, and turbans.
Women wear similar clothing, except that they use brightly colored shawls to cover their heads.
Hazara marriage ceremonies follow the traditional Islamic pattern. Most marry within their own communities and nearly always within the Hazara ethnic group. Marriages between first cousins are preferred, particularly from the father's side of the family. When a girl reaches about fifteen years of age, she is usually married to the man of her parents' choice. Only boys have the opportunity for formal education, which usually lasts only one or two years.