Negotiating pay when I have been out of work

I have been out of work for 7 weeks and feel pressure to accept less. I have been trying to stay organised about it. I looked up ranges in Milwaukee and they vary a lot. How do you research fairly?

Check several sources for pay in Milwaukee, 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.