Today the rural parish of Stinsford occupies a large area of land to the North and East of Dorchester, with the River Frome creating the parish's southern boundary. It covers 1352 hectares and in 2004 the population was estimated at 380 living in 147 dwellings. The parish consists of agricultural land, woodland and a small portion of Puddletown Heath. Within its boundaries are the settlements and hamlets of Frome Whitfield, Cokers Frome, Waterston Ridge, Bhompston, Higher Kingston, Kingston Maurward, Higher and Lower Bockhampton, and Stinsford. The Parish boasts five grand houses, The Elizabethan Old Manor, Stinsford House, recently renovated and now made up of ten maisonettes, Kingston Maurward House, the centre of a thriving land-based further education college, together with the Victorian gentlemen's residences of Birkin House and Frome House. The area within Lower Bockhampton, Kingston Maurward College, Stinsford and Higher Kingston is established as a conservation area. The River Frome water meadows are a site of special scientific interest.

The land-based college of Kingston Maurward, Dorset's College of the Countryside, is surrounded by some 750 acres and with 600 full-time students, some of which are residential, and up to 4000 part-time students covering a vast range of horticultural, agricultural and animal based courses together with business related programmes. It is a vibrant and bustling organisation employing more than 10% of the working population of the parish. The gardens provide a place of interest for the amateur and experienced horticulturalist and hold national plant collections. Children can enjoy the animal park and a farm shop. In addition, the house provides a spectacular venue for weddings and conferences and the perfect backdrop for a musical evening.

The Parish offers a range of visitor accommodation; there is a surprising 60 bed-nights available, in addition there is a 17 unit self-catering complex at Higher Bockhampton.

In recent years two business parks have evolved at Higher Bockhampton from what were former battery chicken farms. Mellstock Farm, with 12 units, provides premises for craftsmen alongside small to medium enterprises. Hampton Farm looks to larger, high tech organisations, which do not need a town/city location. Both have close access to the main A35 trunk road.