Negotiating pay when I have been out of work

I have been out of work for 16 weeks and feel pressure to accept less. I have read a lot of threads here and could not find my exact situation. I do not want to price myself out. What did you say?

Check several sources for pay in Chicago, 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.