Negotiating pay when I have been out of work

I have been out of work for 13 weeks and feel pressure to accept less. I would rather hear the honest version than the polite one. I looked up ranges in Sacramento and they vary a lot. How do you research fairly?

Check several sources for pay in Sacramento, then pick a range where the low end is one you can live with.

Asking about the range for the role first worked for me. Some recruiters share it.