If comfort is important, you might want to start with comparing carpet, vinyl, and linoleum or any of the other less comfortable materials with rugs placed on them.

For higher safety, with kids and the elderly choose vinyl, laminate, and polyurethane coated wood, and avoid marble and waxed wood.

When you know you are bound to spill liquids on your floor, wiping it off will be easiest with vinyl, linoleum, and laminate. Stone, concrete, and wood require sealants treatment to be as easy to clean up.

For a kitchen floor, a carpet is probably the worse choice you can make. It is very hard to maintain and may very easily get ruined.

If the house has an under laying heating system, concrete, stone and tile will be the best options.