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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-03-11</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>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-03-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>400</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>8.78</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10623537</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes shares of IRC that are owned by Inland American Real Estate Trust, Inc. (&quot;American&quot;) and Inland Western Retail Real Estate Trust, Inc. (&quot;Western&quot;) in accounts managed by Inland Investment Advisors, Inc. (&quot;Adviser&quot;).  Mr. Goodwin directly and indirectly beneficially ownes shares of American and Western and disclaims beneficial ownership of shares owned by American and Western except to the extent of his respective ownership of those entities.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 1,045,646 shars of common stock owned by Mr. Goodwin and/or his spouse. Also includes common stock ownded directly by the following entities:833,820 by American; 315,820 by Western; 9,091 by The Inland Group, (&quot;TIGI&quot;) 179,250 by IMIC Stock Holding Company, 7,212,118 by Inland Investment Stock Holding Company, (&quot;IISHC&quot;); 137,110 by Partnership Ownership Corporation (&quot;POC&quot;); and 890,682 by Eagle Financial Corporation.  The latter four entities and Inland Real Estate Investment Corporation (&quot;IREIC&quot;) are wholly owned subsidiaries of TIGI.  Adviser, IISHC and POC are wholly owned subsidiaries of IREIC.  Mr. Goodwin is the controlling shareholder of TIGI and he disclaims beneficial ownership of shares owned by TIGI and its subsidiaries except to the extent of his respective ownership of those entities.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Total beneficial ownership has decreased because Adviser has waived its right to receive performance-based fees with respect to certain accounts it manages, and Mr. Goodwin, TIGI and IREIC otherwise have no pecuniary interest for Sec. 16 purposes in any IRC shares held in these accounts.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Includes beneficial ownership of shares acquired by IMIC Stock Holding Company through dividend reinvestment.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Daniel L. Goodwin</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-03-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
