Negotiating pay when I have been out of work (Minneapolis)

I do not know whether to give a range or ask for theirs. Any experience at all would help. I looked up ranges in Minneapolis and they vary a lot. How do you research fairly?

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

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 14 months ago, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.