The breed(s) of rabbit you get will dictate how much space and feed you will need. The colors you choose may also dictate how many cages you need, since some colors and patterns produce many culls, while others are very straightforward. Most breeds come in several colors, and not all colors are compatible with each other (unless you're breeding just for pets).
I raise rabbits primarily for meat, but I also keep the hides, so that is where most of my expertise is. However, I do also show rabbits, and sell rabbits as pets.
MEAT BREEDS
If you're wanting to raise rabbits for meat, you want to get rabbits that have a high meat-to-bone ratio, large litters, and fast growth rates. Typically meat rabbits will weigh AT LEAST nine pounds as adults, and some may get to 12 or 13 pounds.The most popular breeds for this are New Zealands and Californians. The picture shown is a fair example of a young New Zealand. Good meat rabbits will have a good rise to their body from shoulders, peaking at the loins, and sloping over the hips.
Other popular meat breeds are the Palomino, Satins, and certain lines of Rex. Some rarer breeds that work fairly well are American Chinchillas, American Sables, Blanc de Hotots, Champagne D'Argents, Cinnamons, Creme D'Argents, Silver Foxes, and certain lines of Silver Martens.
Americans and Beverens are also used, but because of how weak they are in the shoulder, your production won't be as efficient.
Giants like Flemish Giants, Giant Chinchillas, and French Lops can also be used, but giants have higher bone ratios to support their weight, resulting in less yield per carcass.
The larger angora breeds can also be used for meat, but since they also put calories into producing wool, your feed-to-growth ratios won't be as efficient.
Fur Breeds
Any rabbit can be used to produce pelts, although the larger rabbits obviously give you more to work with. The meat breeds, especially, give you large pelts quickly.
Rabbits that are all white, or mostly white will give you pelts that can be dyed to any color. New Zealands, Californians, Satins, Rex, Blanc de Hotots, Americans, Beverens, Flemish Giants, and French Lops are all large breeds that produce white pelts (most also come in other colors, as well).
Some breeds have unique fur. Rex, for example, have a very short, plush fur that feels like velvet. That fur is also on Mini Rex, velveteen lop, and plush lops, but they are all smaller breeds. (Well, there are some full-size plush lops, but they're not as common as the mini plush). Satins have a shiny fur, caused by mutated guard hair. Mini satins also have it. Silver Foxes have a uniquely long fur that stands up rather than rolling back into place when petted backwards. Their fur is specifically bred to imitate the fur found on the actual silver fox (canine) animal.
Take a look at the colors available in the various breeds, and you might find a color you think is absolutely gorgeous as a pelt.
Wool Breeds
From largest to smallest, the wool breeds are Giant Angoras, French Angoras, Satin Angoras, English Angoras, American Fuzzy Lop, and Jersey Wooly. Giant Angoras only come in white, but the rest come in a wide variety of colors. Satin Angora wool is very thin, and can be a nightmare to work with if you're not used to it. English Angoras are frequently woolblind.
Old Breeds
There are quite a few rare breeds of rabbit which are on the American Livestock Breed Conservancy watchlist, including the American, American Chinchilla, Silver Fox, Blanc de Hotot, Belgian Hare, Silver, Beveren, Giant Chinchillas, Creme D'Argents, Lilac and Rhinelander. All of these breeds have been around for a long time, but have nearly disappeared, leaving a small gene pool. Some of them have unique qualities not found in many other breeds.
Distinct Show Breeds
If you don't really have any other purpose to raising rabbits, but would like something unique, and to possibly show, you might consider one of the show breeds. Each breed is different from the others, but some are more distinct that others. Belgian Hares are a beautiful, racy breed bred to look like wild hares. Blanc de Hotot and Dwarf Hotots are the only recognized breeds which are all white except for black eye circles. Brittania Petites are the tiny full-arch breed. Checkered Giants, called Papillons in Europe, are large full-arch rabbits with a distinct pattern of black or blue patches. Dutches have a very distinct belted pattern. English Lops have incredibly long ears. English Spots have a unique pattern of spots on a racy body, and come in several colors. Flemish Giants are generally considered to be the largest rabbit breed in the US, and very recognizable. Harlequins actually have a checkerboard pattern (although it breaks down as a brindle pattern sometimes). Himalayans are the only rabbit posed cylindrically. Netherland Dwarves are probably the smallest rabbits at under 2-1/2 lbs. each. Rex and Mini Rex have velvet fur. Rhinelanders have a distinct tri-color pattern and a racy body. Satin and mini satin have shiny fur. Silver Foxes have long, standup fur (not wool). Tans are the only breed with their distinct rust-colored underbellies. Thriantas are vibrant red over their entire body.
The breeds with distinct color patterns (except tans) can be very difficult to breed, since many of the kits will not have a showable pattern. That's on top of the difficulties of breeding to a standard for body type, ear length, fur density, etc.
Dwarf breeds (Netherlands, Mini Rexes, Mini Satins, etc.) may give birth to peanuts, which are kits that have inherited a fatal dwarf gene that usually kills the rabbits within a few days after birth.
Another breed that is making it's way into the show world is the lionhead, with it's distinct mane of wool, although they are not yet fully recognized by the ARBA.
Pet Breeds
With pets, the most important factor is temperament. In my experience, the larger breeds are more docile, while the smaller breeds tend to be fussy, bitey, or otherwise grumpy. However, most people seem to want smaller rabbits as pets since they take up less space and eat less. Also, the racy breeds tend to be high-strung, and are not appropriate as pets in households where things might happen suddenly (children or dogs running around, other loud noises, even traffic). Wooly breeds require more maintenance, and are typically not advisable for pet sales.
I always recommend Flemish Giants as pets, especially house pets (as opposed to being kept in cages).
Lops are popular for the cute factor. French Lops are great because of how docile they are, but the size may turn some people away. Mini Lops are miniature French Lops in look, and are generally the more docile of the small lop breeds. Holland Lops are probably the most popular, although their small size tends to make them fiestier in my experience. I don't recommend English or Velveteen Lops for pets because the long ears can be hard to take care of (they literally drag on the ground).
Rex and Mini Rex are wonderful to pet because of their velvet fur. Satins and mini satins can catch eyes with their shiny fur.
Dutch are also popular pets, partially because the show breeders produce so many mismarked rabbits (although, even the mismarks have very distinct markings). Dutch are incredibly smart, and can be fun to train for tricks.
Lionheads are popular for their novel manes.
Most other non-racy breeds make decent pets.
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