Negotiating pay when I have been out of work - 21 weeks in

A recruiter asked for my salary expectations on a first call as I look for work as an administrative assistant. There are 5 people counting on me, so I am trying to be careful. I looked up ranges in Birmingham and they vary a lot. What did you say?

Benefits matter too. A slightly lower rate with better coverage was better for me.

I gave a range based on local postings and said I was flexible depending on the whole package. They did not push back.