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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-02-19</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>2008-02-19</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>13.4308</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7524134.4929</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>2008-02-19</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>13.4308</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7524134.4929</value>
                </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 298,746 shares of common stock owned by Mr. Goodwin and/or his spouse and 9,091 shares, 127,272 shares, 6,415,036.4872 shares, 121,957.0057 shares and 552,032 shares of common stock owned by The Inland Group, Inc., Inland Mortgage Advisors, Inc., Inland Investment Stock Holding Company, Partnership Ownership Corporation and Inland Investment Advisors, Inc., respectively.  The latter four entities are wholly-owned subsidiaries of The Inland Group, Inc. of which Mr. Goodwin is the controlling shareholder.  Totals for Inland Investment Advisors, Inc. and Partnership Ownership Corporation include 74,391.9398 shares and 1,414.2337 shares respectively of shares purchased through the Dividend Reinvestment Plan for December 2007 and January 2008.</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>2008-02-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
