Final answer:
The Milky Way is one of the three large spiral galaxies in the Local Group, which contains roughly 60 members spanning 3 million light-years. The Local Group's mass is about 4 x 10¹¹ Msun, with significant contributions from dark matter.
Step-by-step explanation:
The status of the Milky Way (MW) in our Local Group of galaxies is that it is one of the group's three large spiral galaxies, alongside the Andromeda galaxy and M33. The Local Group spans approximately 3 million light-years and is home to about 60 members, including smaller dwarf ellipticals and irregular galaxies. The total mass of the Local Group is estimated to be around 4 x 10¹² Msun, with at least half of this mass contained in the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies. Dark matter accounts for a substantial portion of the Local Group's mass.
Moreover, new members continue to be discovered, which can change understandings of its composition and dynamics. The Milky Way itself is absorbing a dwarf galaxy in the constellation of Sagittarius, showing how member galaxies can interact with one another.