AZ:
I don’t have numbers on me, but do you think/know if there are more boys or girls going off/becoming less shomer mitzvos?
I can think of many older frum girls who need spouses (and not many girls who went off/less), but know many boys who would make good husbands, but they may not be “up to par” for the girls (for example, they may not be shomer negiyah, or may not daven with a minyan, or will not learn every day, or may not even keep shabbos).
Any stats there?
And I’m not disagreeing with the age gap. But the problem can also be solved incrementally, by (hypothetically) adding 10% more chairs 5 times, we have gotten 50% of the girls married.