Been in Fitchburg for about 20 years now. Neighborhood is nice, clean and quiet. You're young, but schools here do not suck. There are more non chain restaurants and bakeries opening up in the city. And plenty of cannabis shops. But finding anything like you're looking for is not going to happen. At least nothing where I would point someone. And yeah, the roads are horrible. But I was visiting my mom on the South Shore of MA recently, and the roads down there are getting just as bad as they are here.

Gardner isn't bad, and has a growing downtown. If you wanted roommates I would suggest Lowell.