<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-08-23</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000923284</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>INLAND REAL ESTATE CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>IRC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001119191</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GOODWIN DANIEL L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2901 BUTTERFIELD RD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>OAK BROOK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60523</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman of the Board</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Inland Real Estate Corporation Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-08-23</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>15.2414</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7174032.6319</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Shares Purchased by Eagle Financial</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 174,468 shares of common stock owned by Mr. Goodwin and/or his spouse and 9,091 shares, 127,272 shares, 6,240,021.8492 shares, 118,6293.7827 shares and 504,550 shares of common stock owned by The Inland Group, Inc., Inland Mortgage Advisors, Inc., Inland Investment Stock Holding Company, Partnership Ownership and Inland Investment Advisors Inc., respectively.  The latter four entities are wholly-owned subsidiaries of The Inland Group, Inc.  Mr. Goodwin  is the controlling shareholder of The Inland Group, Inc.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Eagle Financial is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Inland Group, Inc.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Daniel L. Goodwin</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-08-24</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
