Answers are going to depend vastly based on weather & distance.

I wouldn't want to ride an aluminium frame for a 20 mile commute; I wouldn't want to ride a steel frame in weather where they're putting salt on the road.

I wouldn't spend the money for carbon for a commuter.

Other people are going to answer those questions differently. Maybe they have a higher tolerance for aluminium than me; maybe they're more willing to meticulously wash their bike after every ride. Maybe their price sensitivity is lower than mine.

As the OP said - no wrong answers. But the answers you're likely to get are not meaningful without understanding why people choose what they do.