Ohio employers added 19,600 jobs in May, and the state unemployment rate fell to its lowest level more than four years, the state jobs department reported Friday.

The jobless rate, which declined for the 10th consecutive month, edged down from 7.4 percent in April to 7.3 percent in May - the lowest level since October 2008, according to data provided by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Employers have increased nonfarm payrolls by more than 64,000 jobs since the beginning of the year as Ohio continues to recover from the last recession faster than the nation as a whole.

“Ohio’s unemployment rate has been below the national average for some time, and that gap has been widening recently,’’ said Ben Johnson, spokesman for the state jobs department. “What we’ve seen in Ohio is job creation and job growth across a wide range of sectors.’’

Despite the solid job gains in Ohio, May was a disappointing month for the U.S. economy as the financial crisis in Europe weighed on employers. The nation added just 69,000 jobs last month while the unemployment rate rose for the first time in year to 8.2 percent.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2437 or rtucker@DaytonDailyNews.com.