When I was a kid I lived in the country, about 20 minutes from the nearest town and would have a tick-check every time I returned from being outside during the times when ticks are more prevalent.
Many times you would have ticks but they didn't get a chance to bite yet (Thankfully my parents did these tick-checks all the time, I hated it at the time but looking back I understand their concern).
I usually get at least one a year (tick that actually bites me), and although recently (Age 30+) I have been getting them checked out/monitor them more closely than when I was a younger, I've been lucky myself to not get this disease or any other ones related to ticks yet.
If anyone is curious as to this location, I live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.