How to Search All of Craigslist at Once

Craigslist has no built-in way to search every city at once. Each area is its own site, so a search on the Chicago page only shows Chicago listings. To search all of Craigslist, you need to work around that with Google, a third-party search tool, or alerts.

Here are the five methods that work, starting with the quickest.

Quick answer

Method	Coverage	Cost	Best for
Google site: search	Wide, but misses new posts	Free	One-off searches
Include nearby areas	A few neighboring areas	Free	Local buyers
Craigslist state pages	One state, area by area	Free	Small states
Search tools such as SearchTempest	Wide, set by distance or state	Free	Rare items
Listing alerts	The areas you choose	Paid	Catching deals early

1. Use a Google site search

Google can search every Craigslist site together. Type this into Google:

site:craigslist.org "herman miller aeron"

Quotes keep the phrase exact. You can also exclude words with a minus sign:

site:craigslist.org "herman miller aeron" -wanted -parts

To limit results to one area, use its Craigslist address:

site:chicago.craigslist.org "herman miller aeron"

The catch: Google doesn’t index every listing, and new posts can take time to appear. Results may also include expired ads. This method suits research better than chasing a fresh deal.

2. Turn on nearby areas

When you search on Craigslist, look for the option to include nearby areas. It adds surrounding Craigslist regions to your results without leaving the page.

This is the simplest option if you’re willing to drive an hour or two. It won’t get you close to a nationwide search, though.

3. Search one state at a time

Craigslist lists its areas by state, which gives you a checklist to work through. Open each area, run the same search, and keep the tabs open.

This works in a state with three or four areas. In California or Texas, it quickly becomes a chore.

4. Use a Craigslist search tool

Third-party sites run your search across many areas and combine the results. The best known is SearchTempest, which lets you search by distance, by state, or across the country.

These tools are good for rare items where you’d happily travel or pay for shipping. They’re less useful for fast-moving deals, because you still have to come back and run the search yourself. If SearchTempest doesn’t suit you, see our list of SearchTempest alternatives.

5. Set up alerts instead of searching

If you search for the same thing every day, stop repeating it. An alert keeps checking for you and tells you when a match appears.

Craigslist can email you about saved searches, but only for the area you saved. Flipify’s Craigslist alerts let you watch several cities from one watchlist and send a push notification when a new match appears. Premium watchlists check every minute and basic watchlists check every 10 minutes.

This doesn’t cover all of Craigslist at once. It covers the markets you’d actually drive to, which is usually what matters when you’re buying to resell.

Which method should you use?

• Looking for something rare, once: start with a Google site search, then try SearchTempest.
• Buying locally: use nearby areas and save the search.
• Sourcing items to resell: set alerts for your best two or three markets, because the good deals go quickly.

Search tips that work on every method

• Search the misspellings. Sellers type “dewalt” as “de walt” and “Craftsman” as “craftman”. Those listings get less attention.
• Exclude what you don’t want. On Craigslist, a minus sign removes a word, such as couch -sleeper.
• Search titles only when results are noisy, because some sellers stuff descriptions with keywords.
• Be careful with long-distance deals. Most Craigslist scams involve shipping or payment before you see the item. Our guide to avoiding online scams covers what to watch for.

FAQ

Can you search all of Craigslist at once?

Not on Craigslist itself. It searches one area at a time, plus nearby areas if you turn that option on. Use a Google site search or a tool such as SearchTempest to search more widely.

How do I search Craigslist nationwide for free?

Search Google for site:craigslist.org followed by your item in quotes, or use a free search tool. Both are free, but neither shows every new listing right away.

Can I search a whole state on Craigslist?

Not in one search. Craigslist splits each state into areas, so you need to search each one, or use a search tool that lets you pick a state.

Can I get alerts for all of Craigslist?

Craigslist’s own alerts only cover the area you saved. With Flipify, you can add several cities to a watchlist and get push notifications for new matches.

Also searching Facebook? Here’s how to search all of Facebook Marketplace.