diff --git a/nextjs-app/components/Navigation.tsx b/nextjs-app/components/Navigation.tsx
index b0d9469..10ac348 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/components/Navigation.tsx
+++ b/nextjs-app/components/Navigation.tsx
@@ -48,7 +48,9 @@ export function Navigation() {
           >
             Compare
             {selectedSchools.length > 0 && (
-              <span className={styles.badge}>{selectedSchools.length}</span>
+              <span key={selectedSchools.length} className={styles.badge}>
+                {selectedSchools.length}
+              </span>
             )}
           </Link>
           <Link
diff --git a/nextjs-app/context/ComparisonContext.tsx b/nextjs-app/context/ComparisonContext.tsx
index 21f7847..697d702 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/context/ComparisonContext.tsx
+++ b/nextjs-app/context/ComparisonContext.tsx
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ interface ComparisonContextType {
   clearAll: () => void;
   isSelected: (urn: number) => boolean;
   canAddMore: boolean;
+  isInitialized: boolean;
   mutate: () => void;
 }
 
diff --git a/nextjs-app/context/ComparisonProvider.tsx b/nextjs-app/context/ComparisonProvider.tsx
index 99fe774..ea5cee5 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/context/ComparisonProvider.tsx
+++ b/nextjs-app/context/ComparisonProvider.tsx
@@ -1,18 +1,98 @@
 /**
  * ComparisonProvider
- * Provides comparison state to all components
+ * Provides shared comparison state to all components
  */
 
 'use client';
 
-import { useComparison } from '@/hooks/useComparison';
+import { useState, useEffect, useCallback } from 'react';
+import { getFromLocalStorage, setToLocalStorage } from '@/lib/utils';
+import type { School } from '@/lib/types';
 import { ComparisonContext } from './ComparisonContext';
 
+const STORAGE_KEY = 'selectedSchools';
+const MAX_SCHOOLS = 5;
+
 export function ComparisonProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
-  const comparisonState = useComparison();
+  const [selectedSchools, setSelectedSchools] = useState<School[]>([]);
+  const [isInitialized, setIsInitialized] = useState(false);
+
+  // Load from localStorage on mount
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const stored = getFromLocalStorage<School[]>(STORAGE_KEY, []);
+    setSelectedSchools(stored);
+    setIsInitialized(true);
+  }, []);
+
+  // Save to localStorage when schools change
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (isInitialized) {
+      setToLocalStorage(STORAGE_KEY, selectedSchools);
+    }
+  }, [selectedSchools, isInitialized]);
+
+  // Listen for storage changes from other tabs
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const handleStorageChange = (e: StorageEvent) => {
+      if (e.key === STORAGE_KEY && e.newValue) {
+        try {
+          const parsed = JSON.parse(e.newValue);
+          setSelectedSchools(parsed);
+        } catch {
+          // Ignore parse errors
+        }
+      }
+    };
+
+    window.addEventListener('storage', handleStorageChange);
+    return () => window.removeEventListener('storage', handleStorageChange);
+  }, []);
+
+  const addSchool = useCallback((school: School) => {
+    setSelectedSchools((prev) => {
+      if (prev.some((s) => s.urn === school.urn)) {
+        return prev;
+      }
+      if (prev.length >= MAX_SCHOOLS) {
+        alert(`Maximum ${MAX_SCHOOLS} schools can be compared`);
+        return prev;
+      }
+      return [...prev, school];
+    });
+  }, []);
+
+  const removeSchool = useCallback((urn: number) => {
+    setSelectedSchools((prev) => prev.filter((s) => s.urn !== urn));
+  }, []);
+
+  const clearAll = useCallback(() => {
+    setSelectedSchools([]);
+  }, []);
+
+  const isSelected = useCallback(
+    (urn: number) => selectedSchools.some((s) => s.urn === urn),
+    [selectedSchools]
+  );
+
+  // Placeholder mutate - actual SWR mutate is in useComparison hook
+  const mutate = useCallback(() => {}, []);
 
   return (
-    <ComparisonContext.Provider value={comparisonState}>
+    <ComparisonContext.Provider
+      value={{
+        selectedSchools,
+        comparisonData: null,
+        isLoading: false,
+        error: null,
+        addSchool,
+        removeSchool,
+        clearAll,
+        isSelected,
+        canAddMore: selectedSchools.length < MAX_SCHOOLS,
+        isInitialized,
+        mutate,
+      }}
+    >
       {children}
     </ComparisonContext.Provider>
   );
diff --git a/nextjs-app/hooks/useComparison.ts b/nextjs-app/hooks/useComparison.ts
index b42392f..7a165bc 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/hooks/useComparison.ts
+++ b/nextjs-app/hooks/useComparison.ts
@@ -1,35 +1,25 @@
 /**
  * Custom hook for managing school comparison state
+ * Uses shared context for real-time updates across components
  */
 
 'use client';
 
-import { useState, useEffect, useCallback } from 'react';
 import useSWR from 'swr';
 import { fetcher } from '@/lib/api';
-import { getFromLocalStorage, setToLocalStorage } from '@/lib/utils';
-import type { School, ComparisonResponse } from '@/lib/types';
-
-const STORAGE_KEY = 'selectedSchools';
-const MAX_SCHOOLS = 5;
+import { useComparisonContext } from '@/context/ComparisonContext';
+import type { ComparisonResponse } from '@/lib/types';
 
 export function useComparison() {
-  const [selectedSchools, setSelectedSchools] = useState<School[]>([]);
-  const [isInitialized, setIsInitialized] = useState(false);
-
-  // Load from localStorage on mount
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const stored = getFromLocalStorage<School[]>(STORAGE_KEY, []);
-    setSelectedSchools(stored);
-    setIsInitialized(true);
-  }, []);
-
-  // Save to localStorage when schools change
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (isInitialized) {
-      setToLocalStorage(STORAGE_KEY, selectedSchools);
-    }
-  }, [selectedSchools, isInitialized]);
+  const {
+    selectedSchools,
+    addSchool,
+    removeSchool,
+    clearAll,
+    isSelected,
+    canAddMore,
+    isInitialized,
+  } = useComparisonContext();
 
   // Fetch comparison data for selected schools
   const urns = selectedSchools.map((s) => s.urn).join(',');
@@ -38,40 +28,10 @@ export function useComparison() {
     fetcher,
     {
       revalidateOnFocus: false,
-      dedupingInterval: 10000, // 10 seconds
+      dedupingInterval: 10000,
     }
   );
 
-  const addSchool = useCallback((school: School) => {
-    setSelectedSchools((prev) => {
-      // Check if already selected
-      if (prev.some((s) => s.urn === school.urn)) {
-        return prev;
-      }
-
-      // Check max limit
-      if (prev.length >= MAX_SCHOOLS) {
-        alert(`Maximum ${MAX_SCHOOLS} schools can be compared`);
-        return prev;
-      }
-
-      return [...prev, school];
-    });
-  }, []);
-
-  const removeSchool = useCallback((urn: number) => {
-    setSelectedSchools((prev) => prev.filter((s) => s.urn !== urn));
-  }, []);
-
-  const clearAll = useCallback(() => {
-    setSelectedSchools([]);
-  }, []);
-
-  const isSelected = useCallback(
-    (urn: number) => selectedSchools.some((s) => s.urn === urn),
-    [selectedSchools]
-  );
-
   return {
     selectedSchools,
     comparisonData: data?.comparison,
@@ -81,7 +41,8 @@ export function useComparison() {
     removeSchool,
     clearAll,
     isSelected,
-    canAddMore: selectedSchools.length < MAX_SCHOOLS,
+    canAddMore,
+    isInitialized,
     mutate,
   };
 }