They asked my salary range, what should I say? (update)

I have been out of work for 9 weeks and feel pressure to accept less. I also do not want to sell myself short. 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 11 months ago, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.