The national average price of a gallon of unleaded stayed essentially flat for the week ending Dec. 28, as it increased eight tenths of a cent to $2.034 and has remained near $2 per gallon since late November.

Gasoline is now 26.5 cents lower than a year ago, when it reached six-year lows.

Price movement was mixed for the week among the nine regions tracked by the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration. Gasoline prices rose in the Midwest, West Coast, and West Coast without California. The West Coast saw the sharpest increase of 6 cents to $2.63. Other regions saw price declines, and New England's 2.4 cents to $2.056 was the most notable.

Among states, California surpassed Hawaii with the highest average of $2.832 on AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report. Hawaii ($2.691) and Nevada ($2.512) are the only other states above $2.50, while 32 states now have gasoline below $2 per gallon. Missouri's $1.701 is the lowest.

Meanwhile, the national diesel average fell 4.9 cents to $2.235, and fell in 10 regions. The price of diesel is 9.78 cents lower than it was a year ago.