How to Use COUNT and Related Counting Functions in Excel

Excel's COUNT function counts cells that contain numbers. It does not count ordinary text, blank cells, or errors in a referenced range. When you need to count nonblank cells or values that meet conditions, use one of Excel's related counting functions instead.

COUNT and related functions in Excel

COUNT syntax

=COUNT(value1, [value2], ...)

value1 is required and can be a value, cell, or range. Additional values or ranges are optional. For example, =COUNT(B2:B20) returns the number of numeric cells in B2:B20.

What COUNT includes

Numbers in referenced cells, including zero and negative values.
Dates and times, because Excel stores valid dates and times as serial numbers.
Numeric values entered directly as arguments.

What COUNT ignores

Blank cells and text in a referenced range.
Logical values such as TRUE and FALSE in referenced cells.
Error values.

A value that looks numeric may actually be stored as text and therefore not be counted. Check its alignment, number format, or use an appropriate conversion method before assuming the formula is wrong.

Choose the right counting function

Function	Use it to count
COUNT	Cells containing numbers
COUNTA	Nonblank cells, including text and errors
COUNTBLANK	Blank cells, including formulas that return an empty string
COUNTIF	Cells that meet one condition
COUNTIFS	Rows or cells that meet multiple conditions

COUNTIF syntax and examples

=COUNTIF(range, criteria)

range: the cells to test.
criteria: the condition, such as text, a number, a comparison, or a cell reference.

COUNTIF worksheet example

To count exact text matches in C2:C6:

=COUNTIF(C2:C6,"Tianjin")

COUNTIF is not case-sensitive. To count cells that contain a word anywhere in the text, use the asterisk wildcard:

=COUNTIF(C2:C8,"*Hubei*")

COUNTIF text wildcard example

Count values with comparison operators

Comparison criteria belong inside quotation marks:

=COUNTIF(E2:E6,">=60") counts values of 60 or more.
=COUNTIF(E2:E6,"<60") counts values below 60.
=COUNTIF(E2:E6,"<>60") counts values other than 60.

COUNTIF numeric comparison example

To build a condition from another cell, join the operator to the reference: =COUNTIF(E2:E20,">="&G2). This lets the threshold change when G2 changes.

Common problems

Unexpected zero: numbers may be stored as text, or the range may be incorrect.
Text condition does not match: check for leading or trailing spaces. Wildcards can help with partial matches but may also include unintended text.
Multiple requirements: COUNTIF accepts one condition. Use COUNTIFS for conditions such as region plus date plus minimum value.
Argument separator: some regional settings use semicolons instead of commas.

For a focused conditional-counting walkthrough, see the COUNTIF guide. If your results depend on values from another table, the guide to VLOOKUP in Excel explains a common lookup approach.