The Count's main purpose is educating children on simple mathematics concepts, most notably counting. The Count has an obsessive love of counting (arithomania), and will count anything and everything, regardless of size, amount, or how much annoyance he is causing the other muppets. Following a count, the Count always laughs manically and thunder roars overhead.
Unlike some of the other muppets on Sesame Street, the Count is a rather flat character and does not have many sides to his personality other than the counting gimmick.