SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection("ConnectionString");
conn.Open();
SqlCommand comm = new SqlCommand("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM table_name", conn);
Int32 count = (Int32) comm .ExecuteScalar();

int count = 0;    
using (new SqlConnection connection = new SqlConnection("connectionString"))
{
    sqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM table_name", connection);
    connection.Open();
    count = (int32)cmd.ExecuteScalar();
}

Дополнение в C # с SQL:

SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection("ConnectionString");
conn.Open();
SqlCommand comm = new SqlCommand("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM table_name", conn);
Int32 count = Convert.ToInt32(comm.ExecuteScalar());
if (count > 0)
{
    lblCount.Text = Convert.ToString(count.ToString()); //For example a Label
}
else
{
    lblCount.Text = "0";
}
conn.Close(); //Remember close the connection

Вы получите ошибки преобразования с:

cmd.CommandText = "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM table_name";
Int32 count = (Int32) cmd.ExecuteScalar();

Используйте вместо:

string stm = "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM table_name WHERE id="+id+";";
MySqlCommand cmd = new MySqlCommand(stm, conn);
Int32 count = Convert.ToInt32(cmd.ExecuteScalar());
if(count > 0){
    found = true; 
} else {
    found = false; 
}