An online system associates a user with a characteristic attribute of a geographic area in response to the user visiting the geographic area. The geographic area is identified based on visits by users of the online system, and attributes of entities associated with locations within the geographic area. A characteristic attribute is identified from the obtained attributes. A visit to the geographic area by a first user not associated with the characteristic attribute is identified. In response to identifying that the first user has visited the geographic area, the first user is associated with the characteristic profile attribute. Based at least in part on the association between the characteristic profile attribute and the first user, a content item is sent to a client device for presentation to the first user.