---
title: approximate_row_count() | Tiger Data Docs
description: Estimate the number of rows in a table
---

Since [0.10.0](https://github.com/timescale/timescaledb/releases/tag/0.10.0)

Get approximate row count for hypertable, distributed hypertable, or regular PostgreSQL table based on catalog estimates. This function supports tables with nested inheritance and declarative partitioning.

The accuracy of `approximate_row_count` depends on the database having up-to-date statistics about the table or hypertable, which are updated by `VACUUM`, `ANALYZE`, and a few DDL commands. If you have auto-vacuum configured on your table or hypertable, or changes to the table are relatively infrequent, you might not need to explicitly `ANALYZE` your table as shown below. Otherwise, if your table statistics are too out-of-date, running this command updates your statistics and yields more accurate approximation results.

## Samples

Get the approximate row count for a single hypertable.

```
ANALYZE conditions;


SELECT * FROM approximate_row_count('conditions');
```

The expected output:

```
approximate_row_count
---------------------
               240000
```

## Arguments

The syntax is:

```
SELECT approximate_row_count('<table_name>');
```

| Name       | Type     | Default | Required | Description                                                  |
| ---------- | -------- | ------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `relation` | REGCLASS | -       | ✔        | hypertable or regular PostgreSQL table to get row count for. |

## Returns

| Column                  | Type   | Description                                                                    |
| ----------------------- | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `approximate_row_count` | BIGINT | A numeric estimate of the number of rows in the specified table or hypertable. |