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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-12-05</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>2007-12-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7100</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>14.25</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7554228.2794</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Inland Real Estate Corporation Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-12-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7100</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>14.25</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7554228.2794</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 288,746 shares of common stock owned by Mr. Goodwin and/or his spouse and 9,091 shares, 127,272 shares, 6,340,644,5474 shares, 120,542.7320 shares and 667,932 shares of common stock owned by The Inland Group, Inc., Inland Mortgage Advisors, Inc., Inland Investment Stock Holding Company, Partnership Ownership and Inland Advisors, Inc., respectively.  The latter four entities are wholly-owned subsidiaries of The Inland Group Inc., of which Mr. Goodwin is the controlling shareholder.</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>2007-12-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
