diff --git a/cpp/src/stream_compaction/distinct_count.cu b/cpp/src/stream_compaction/distinct_count.cu
index 8c50f8d29e8..7185dae77b7 100644
--- a/cpp/src/stream_compaction/distinct_count.cu
+++ b/cpp/src/stream_compaction/distinct_count.cu
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
 #include <rmm/cuda_stream_view.hpp>
 #include <rmm/exec_policy.hpp>
 
+#include <cuco/static_set.cuh>
+
 #include <thrust/count.h>
 #include <thrust/execution_policy.h>
 #include <thrust/iterator/counting_iterator.h>
@@ -127,27 +129,27 @@ cudf::size_type distinct_count(table_view const& keys,
                                null_equality nulls_equal,
                                rmm::cuda_stream_view stream)
 {
-  auto const num_rows  = keys.num_rows();
+  auto const num_rows = keys.num_rows();
+  if (num_rows == 0) { return 0; }  // early exit for empty input
   auto const has_nulls = nullate::DYNAMIC{cudf::has_nested_nulls(keys)};
 
-  hash_map_type key_map{compute_hash_table_size(num_rows),
-                        cuco::empty_key{COMPACTION_EMPTY_KEY_SENTINEL},
-                        cuco::empty_value{COMPACTION_EMPTY_VALUE_SENTINEL},
-                        detail::hash_table_allocator_type{default_allocator<char>{}, stream},
-                        stream.value()};
-
   auto const preprocessed_input =
     cudf::experimental::row::hash::preprocessed_table::create(keys, stream);
-
   auto const row_hasher = cudf::experimental::row::hash::row_hasher(preprocessed_input);
   auto const hash_key   = experimental::compaction_hash(row_hasher.device_hasher(has_nulls));
-
-  auto const row_comp = cudf::experimental::row::equality::self_comparator(preprocessed_input);
-
-  auto iter = cudf::detail::make_counting_transform_iterator(
-    0, [] __device__(size_type i) { return cuco::make_pair(i, i); });
+  auto const row_comp   = cudf::experimental::row::equality::self_comparator(preprocessed_input);
 
   auto const comparator_helper = [&](auto const row_equal) {
+    using hasher_type = decltype(hash_key);
+    auto key_set      = cuco::experimental::static_set{
+      cuco::experimental::extent{compute_hash_table_size(num_rows)},
+      cuco::empty_key<cudf::size_type>{COMPACTION_EMPTY_KEY_SENTINEL},
+      row_equal,
+      cuco::experimental::linear_probing<1, hasher_type>{hash_key},
+      detail::hash_table_allocator_type{default_allocator<char>{}, stream},
+      stream.value()};
+
+    auto const iter = thrust::counting_iterator<cudf::size_type>(0);
     // when nulls are equal, insert non-null rows only to improve efficiency
     if (nulls_equal == null_equality::EQUAL and has_nulls) {
       thrust::counting_iterator<size_type> stencil(0);
@@ -155,12 +157,11 @@ cudf::size_type distinct_count(table_view const& keys,
         cudf::detail::bitmask_or(keys, stream, rmm::mr::get_current_device_resource());
       row_validity pred{static_cast<bitmask_type const*>(row_bitmask.data())};
 
-      key_map.insert_if(iter, iter + num_rows, stencil, pred, hash_key, row_equal, stream.value());
-      return key_map.get_size() + static_cast<std::size_t>(null_count > 0);
+      return key_set.insert_if(iter, iter + num_rows, stencil, pred, stream.value()) +
+             static_cast<cudf::size_type>(null_count > 0);
     }
     // otherwise, insert all
-    key_map.insert(iter, iter + num_rows, hash_key, row_equal, stream.value());
-    return key_map.get_size();
+    return key_set.insert(iter, iter + num_rows, stream.value());
   };
 
   if (cudf::detail::has_nested_columns(keys)) {